ABSTRACTThe broad objective of the study was to examine the adoption of Drought Tolerant Maize for Africa (DTMA) and its effects on maize farmers‟ livelihood in Katsina State of Nigeria. Data for the study were collected through structured questionnaire administered to purposively selected 276 maize farmers using a multi-stage sampling procedure. The data were analyzed using frequencies, percentages, analysis of variance (ANOVA) and multiple regression. The mean experience in DTMA cultivation by the respondents was 8.3 years, with mean farm size of 2.7 hectares of DTMA farm land. Majority (78%) had no access to credit. Also, about 68 percent had no contact with extension agents during the cropping year, while 19 percent belonged to cooperative societies. Respondents perceived that DTMA varieties had high market price as compared with the traditional maize varieties with a mean score of 3.78. The result also shows that respondents with very low yield level (below 1000kg/ha were about 43 percent. Majority (81.8 %) were in the low income group while 10.1 percent were in the high income group. The results showed that 96 percent, 95 percent, 89 percent, and 78 percent of the respondents were aware of Sammaz 18, 22, 24 and Sammaz 23 varieties respectively. Similarly, the DTMA varieties the respondents were least aware of were sammaz 25 (11.3%), Sammaz 27 (13.2%) and Sammaz 26 (15.1%). Majority (81.5%) were in the low level group, while 13.8 percent were in the average socio-economic group, only 4.7 percent were in the high socio-economic group. Thirty seven (37%) mentioned radio as major source of awareness followed by friends and relatives (26%) and extension agents (16%) agro-dealers (8%), television (7%), field days (3%) and demonstration (1%) were the least sources of awareness of DTMA varieties. The result further indicated that 64 percent, 62 percent and 60 percent had adopted Sammaz 18, Sammaz 22 and Sammaz 23 DTMA varieties respectively. The least adopted DTMA varieties were Sammaz 26 (10%), 25 (11.2) and 27 (11.4). On the factors influencing adoption of DTMA varieties findings revealed that farmers‟ age, household size, education, DTMA farming experience and DTMA farm size were positively and significantly related to adoption. It was also found that extension contact membership to cooperative complexity and relative advantage significantly influenced adoption. It was equally revealed that adoption of DTMA had significant effects on respondents yield, income and level of living. The major constraints affecting farmers in adopting the DTMA varieties were high cost of DTMA, and unavailability of the varieties. The least constraints were: pests and diseases (6.5%), drought (3.3%). High yielding drought tolerant varieties could be massively deployed to drought pronned areas. Irrigation facilities could be made available to supplement inadequate or shortage of rainfall. Unavailability of varieties and high cost of the varieties were major constraint to adoption of DTMA. Seed companies, vendors, distributors, input dealers should be encouraged to site their sales points at the farmers reach to enable farmers purchase needed farm inputs necessary for adoption.
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