Full Text Available

Note: Clicking the button above will open the full text document at the original institutional repository in a new window.

Are tomato farmers willing to adopt the hydroponics farming system in Oyo State, Nigeria?

The rising demand for tomatoes and tomato-based foods in Nigeria owing to its numerous health benefits calls for a comprehensive and economically viable farming system to replace or complement traditional farming systems for tomato production. This study therefore assessed the level of awareness of...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Format: Article
Published: 2023
Subjects:
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:The rising demand for tomatoes and tomato-based foods in Nigeria owing to its numerous health benefits calls for a comprehensive and economically viable farming system to replace or complement traditional farming systems for tomato production. This study therefore assessed the level of awareness of tomato farmers and their readiness to adopt the hydroponics farming system. The sociodemographic determinants of their readiness to adopt hydroponic farming were also identified. Measures of central tendency and the logistic regression model were employed in the analysis of data. Knowledge of hydroponic farming was low among the farmers. Key positive determinants of awareness include distance to market, having government support and access to social media. More than three-fifths of the farmers were willing to adopt the hydroponics farming system. Such farmers had tertiary education, access to extension agents and relatively small farm sizes. High initial capital for adoption was the most critical limitation to the readiness of adoption of the system. Enhanced tomato output from this system may be a cause for its advocacy. Awareness and adoption of hydroponic farming can be increased if extension services are intensified. This will ensure food security and sustainable economic development.