EFFECT OF GAIN TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER ON SWEET POTATOES FARMERS’ NUTRITIONAL STATUS IN OYO WEST LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF OYO

The study assessed the Effect of GAIN technology transfer on sweet potatoes farmers’ level of income in Oyo west local government of Oyo State. The study described the socio-economic characteristics of the farmers, identified the technology transferred to sweet potato farmers income, determined the effect of technology transferred to sweet potato farmers income, identified factors that influence the use of technology transferred to the respondent and investigate the constraints encountered in the use of technology transferred to the respondent. The data were collected using an interview schedule based on the objectives of the study to collect data from 62 respondents and were analyzed using frequency count, percentage and mean, while Pearson Product Moment Correlation (PPMC) was used to test the hypothesis. The mean age of the respondent was revealed to be 42.53years and implies that the Extension workers were in their middle ages. The mean household size of the respondents was 7. The mean years of experience was 3.37years, the mean years of schooling was 14.39 years. The mean farm size was 2 ha in the study area. Majority of the farmers had contact with extension agent monthly. The study revealed that Ease of access to technology introduced, Provision of market for sweet potato cultivated by GAIN, Access to extension agents from GAIN, high tuber yield of varieties, early maturity of varieties given, Colour of tuber, High vine yield, Drought resistant varieties, Disease and pest tolerant, Good culinary test and High dry matter of tuber were factors influencing the use of GAIN sweet potatoes. Also, King J variety (pink in color), were technologies transferred to respondents. In addition, respondents developed high nutritional status to the following statements: There is positive and significant relationship between household size (r=0.739, p=0.000) and nutritional status of GAIN sweet potatoes farmers. This implies that respondents with larger household size tends to utilize GAIN Technologies and had higher nutritional status.