Abstract
Profitability and adoption of Nr 8082 cassava production technologies by smallholder farmers in Abia State of Nigeria were studied using two hundred and forty respondents (one hundred and twenty adopters and one hundred and twenty non-adopters) for detailed study. The sampled farmers were selected using purpose and random sampling technique. Primary data were collected using questionnaires and oral interviews, while the secondary information was collected through, journals, proceedings, test books and other periodicals. Percentages and Probit model were used to achieve the objectives of the study. The socioeconomic characteristics of the adopters and non-adopters show that 54.2% and 37.5% of the adopter and non-adopters of the improved variety were below 40years of age, while in that order 45.8% and 62.5%; above 40years of age, 90.83% of the adopters had formal education, while most (41.67%) of non-adopters had that. Furthermore, the costs and return analysis per hectare showed that adopters had Net farm income of N1,111,349, while non-adopters; N954,549. The Return on Investment (ROI) for adopters and non-adopters were 272 and 241 respectively. Educational level, farm size and extension services had positive relationship with the dependent variable and significant at 1.0% and 5% respectively. The age, farming experience and extension services of the farmer were negatively related to technology adoption and significant at 5.0%, 10% and 5.0% levels respectively. The constraints to adoption of the improved cassava production technologies were land problem (88.3%), high cost of labour, (66.7%), unavailability and high cost of fertilizer (57.3%) and poor extension services (56.7%). The other constraints were theft (20%), rodent attack(45%), pest and disease attack (45%) and high cost of herbicides (41.7%). The need to promote policies to enhance farmers’ access to extension services and land and encourage farmers to form or join farming organization was recommended.