Abstract
EFFECTS OF ADOPTION OF VITAMIN A CASSAVA VARIETY ON THE SOCIO-ECONOMIC LIFE OF RURAL FARMERS IN IMO STATE, NIGERIA

The study examined the effects of adoption of vitamin A cassava on the socio-economic life of rural farmers in Imo state Nigeria. Specifically, the study described the socio-economic characteristics of the respondents, determined the level of adoption of the vitamin A cassava by the respondents, identified cassava attributes for adoption, identified constraints to the adoption of vitamin A cassava, and finally determined the effects of adoption of vitamin A cassava variety in the study area. A well structured questionnaire was used to collect data from 120 respondents. Data were analyzed using percentages and mean presented in tables. The findings of the study revealed that 69.2% of the respondents were males with a mean age of 53years, 79.2% were married, 48.3% had households size of 1-5. The results showed that 95.8% of the respondents were using the vitamin A cassava all the time. However, the results also revealed that lack of finance, weed infestation, land tenure problem among others were constraints faced by the farmers in the study area. Again, the farmers increased farm size for cultivation, witnessed increased yield, bought bicycles, increase income, sought medical treatment in good hospitals in city among others. It therefore recommended that credit facilities should be made available to the farmers by the government so as to further boost vitamin A cassava production in the study area.