Analysis of adoption of cashew management techniques by cashew farmers in Zone B Agro-ecological zone of Kogi state

Abstract

Cashew (Anacardium occidentale) is a crop of commerce of which both domestic and international demand has risen lately. It thrives well in the guinea savanna region of Nigeria particularly Kogi State that is known for producing quality cashew nuts. Hence, this study investigated the adoption of cashew farm management techniques by cashew farmers in Zone B agro-ecological zone of Kogi State. A total of 120 respondents were selected and administered questionnaire using a combination of both purposive and random sampling techniques. Data obtained were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Result showed that Majority (74.2%) of the respondent were married with average household size of 7 persons per household. The mean age of respondents was 49 years. The result also showed that pruning (98.3%) and fire tracing (97.5%) were the most adopted cashew farm management techniques by cashew farmers in the study area. The study recommended that farmers should be trained on good agricultural practices on cashew production to improve its management.