Economic impact of maize technology on farmers in some selected local government areas of Katsina state, Nigeria

Abstract

This study evaluates the impact of improved maize technology on land holdings, income, and savings of farmers. The study was conducted using both primary and secondary data. The data were collected between June & December 2023 through a field survey conducted by the researcher and assisted by trained enumerators in two-visit interviews using a pre-tested structured questionnaire. The independent t-test produced a value of 6.50, while the corresponding critical value at a 5% significance level is 1.96 and 2.577 at a 1% significance level. This indicates that the calculated t-value exceeds the critical value. Thus, respondents display a significant increase in their land holdings after adopting improved maize technology. The average income of respondents before adopting improved maize technology N91,824.00, which is lower than the income after adopting improved maize technology, averaging N300,945.00. The results also indicated a t-value of 6.95, which is highly significant at the 1% level. The average savings of respondents before adopting improved maize technology was N76,000, while after utilizing improved maize technology, it was N186,000. The independent t-test resulted in a value of 8.82, with corresponding critical values of 1.960 and 2.576 at the 5% and 1% levels, respectively. This indicates that the calculated t-value (8.82) surpasses the critical t-value at both the 5% and 1% significance levels. Consequently, the respondents' savings after using improved technology are significantly higher than their savings prior to using this technology. It was found that though the technology has been widely adopted, its full potentials may not be realized because most farmers are not disposed to the adoption of major components of the technology.