Exploring the Utilization of Cowpea Storage Mechanisms for Post- Harvest Loss Avoidance in Kuje Area Council, Abuja

Abstract

The study was carried out to explore the utilization of Cowpea storage mechanisms for post– harvest loss avoidance by Cowpea Farmers in Kuje Area Council, Abuja. Purposive stage sampling technique was employed in sampling the 100 respondents used for the study. Primary data were used for the study and they were collected using well-structured questionnaires, and they were analysed using descriptive statistics. The result shows that majority (59%) of the cowpea farmers are male, while 42.2% within the age bracket of 36 and 45. Most (89.2%) of the cowpea farmers were married while 28.9% of the respondents had a household size between 6 and 10 persons, and this means that most of the farmers will likely to have access to family labour. The most widely utilized storage mechanism by cowpea farmers in the study area are Pirimiphosmethyl and Alluminium phosphate while the least widely used technology is crib. However, the PCI of the constraints the farmers face in the usage of cowpea storage technologies shows that inadequate capital, poor attitude of extension agents, unreliability of innovations, and inadequate extension services were the most prevalent challenges faced by the respondents in the study area. It was recommended that financial institutions should ensure that the process of acquiring agricultural loans and credits are simplified so that the farmers can easily have access to capitals for their agricultural activities, while also recommending the government and private organization involved in extension service delivery ensure that farmers are effectively equipped with the right information on available mechanism and their utilization.