ABSTRACT
Farmers’ productivity has been recognized as a long-term path to food security in
Africa. As a result, making pest management easier would enable farmers to increase
the size and output of their farms. This study sought to ascertain the level of awareness
and the constraints associated with agrochemicals sourcing and adoption among
rubber farmers in Edo State, Nigeria. A 3-stage sampling procedure was used to select
respondents. The primary data used in this study were obtained from field surveyed
through the use of structured questionnaire administered to 180 respondents. Data were
analyzed using frequency counts, percentages, means and standard deviation and logit
regression and t-test. Results showed that Thirty- Nine (39) constraints to agrochemical
users’ adoption were identified by respondents. Poor extension services (mean=2.28),
Inadequate government intervention (mean=2.16), inability to afford protective wears
(mean=2.05) and Inadequate fund (mean =2.69). There was a significant difference in
constraints to adoption among agrochemical users in rubber farms in the Edo State.
Result showed that education status (wald = 3.66), farm size (wald = 4.17), farming
experience (wald = 2.85) and estimated annual income (wald 5.16) were the significant
determinants of access to information on rubber production as indicated by the
respondents at 1 % level of significance. The study recommends that agrochemical
dealers should provide accurate information on agrochemicals in order to educate
farmers about the benefits of proper pesticide usage in crop production in Edo State.
The government and other financial institutions should further give low-interest
financing to crop farmers, which might be in the form of grants or microfinance bank
loans.
KEYWORDS: Constraints, Awareness, Rubber, Edo State, Agro-chemicals