ASSESSMENT OF STORAGE TECHNOLOGIES ADOPTED BY COWPEA FARMERS IN THE FEDERAL CAPITAL TERRITORY (FCT), ABUJA, NIGERIA

This study analysed the cowpea storage technologies adopted by farmers and marketers in Abuja, Nigeria. The specific objectives were to identify the most effective storage method adopted by cowpea farmers in the study area, analyse the factors that influence farmers’ adoption of improved cowpea storage technology and find out the influence of socioeconomic characteristics of the farmers on their use of improved storage technologies. Primary data were collected using copies of the questionnaire from the small-scale cowpea farmers in the study area. It was indicated that durability, with a mean score of 3.80, is the most important factor influencing the choice of storage methods. Other important factors were the effectiveness of the storage method, as indicated by a mean score of 3.79. Gender, household size and quantity of cowpea yield significantly influenced the use of improved cowpea storage by the farmers at 1% level of probability. It was recommended that government agencies, agricultural organizations, and private sector stakeholders should collaborate to make modern, cost-effective storage technologies, such as hermetic bags and improved silos, more accessible to farmers. It was also recommended that government and commodity-based organisations should provide warehouse services to cowpea farmers where they can store their products.