ABSTRACT:

This study assessed the awareness and adoption of NIFOR oil palm technologies by oil palm farmers in Owan-West Local Government Area of Edo State. A simple random sampling technique was used to select four communities from the study area and 83 farmers were sampled from the communities using interview schedule. Data were analyzed using frequency count, percentages, mean, standard deviation, chi-square and Pearson’s Product Moment Correlation (PPMC). Findings revealed that majority of the respondents were male (73.5%), while most of them fell between the ages of 40 years and above (71.1%), with many of them having a farming experience of 10 years and below (63.8%). Findings also revealed that 62.7% of the respondents are aware of NIFOR improved oil palm variety (tenera), while 54.2% have adopted and are still using this improved variety (tenera). The major constraints considered as affecting adoption of NIFOR disseminated technologies are land tenure practices ( x = 4.49) and lack of interest in disseminated technologies ( x = 4.37). Furthermore, there was a significant relationship between awareness and adoption of NIFOR disseminated oil palm technologies (r = 0.86; P<0.05) by the respondents. Based on the findings, it is therefore recommended that the land tenure system in the country be reviewed and that NIFOR should ensure that technologies being designed meet the potentialities of oil palm farmers alongside having comparative advantages over traditional practices.