ADOPTION OF SMALL-SCALE IRRIGATION TECHNOLOGIES FOR VEGETABLE PRODUCTION BY FARMERS IN NASARAWA STATE, NIGERIA

The research was conducted to assess the adoption of small-scale irrigation technologies for vegetable production by farmers in Nasarawa State. A multi-stage random sampling techniques was adopted on selecting three (3) local government each from the three agricultural zones in the state namely; Nasarawa North, Nasarawa south and Nasarawa west to give a total number of nine (9) local government that was used for the study, from each of the nine (9) selected local government, fifteen (15) small-scale farmers were randomly selected to give a total number of one hundred and thirty five (135) respondents that was used for the study. Data were collected and analyzed using simple descriptive statistics such a frequency count, mean score, percentage score and standard deviation to satisfy all the objectives. Instrument for data collection was administered through a well structured questionnaire and oral interview. The instrument covered all the objectives of the study. The major findings revealed that majority of the respondents (63%) were full-time farmers while (37%) were engaged in other forms of occupation. The result also indicate that majority (41%) of the respondents fall within the ages of 21 – 30yrs (30%) falls within the ages of 31 – 40yrs (15%) falls within 1 – 20yrs and (7.4%) falls within 51 and above. The findings revealed that (66%) of the respondents are male while (34%) are female. The result also shows that (70%) of the respondents are married while (37%) are single. The findings revealed that majority (46.66%) of the respondent’s uses stream as the source of water supply (27%) uses dams and (19%) uses rivers (7.40%) uses canals.