Cassava Processing Technology Adoption and Poverty Reduction among Operators in Benue State, Nigeria

This paper examined cassava processing technology adoption and poverty reduction among operators in Benue State, Nigeria. The vicious circle of poverty and unbalanced growth theory were adopted for this study. A survey design was used to obtain cross-sectional data through questionnaires, focused group discussions (FGDs) and oral interviews. The research adopted the multistage random and purposive sampling techniques and obtained a sample size of 380. The study used descriptive statistical tools and Budgetary Analysis of Profitability to analyze the data for this research. The study specifically found that cassava processing technologies adopted in Benue State were basically traditional and manual but these were profitable and as such provided income for respondents which helped them in accessing basic needs of life for poverty to be reduced. The study also showed that adoption of improved cassava processing technologies in Benue State was faced with several constraints such as inadequacy of modern processing equipment; high cost of improved technologies; and lack of credit for processors among others. The study recommended the following based on the findings: provision of improved technologies for processing and infrastructural support for the rural areas; provision of microfinance institutions that could be a source of credit to small-scale rural cassava processing units; and employment of extension agents to train processors on the use and adoption of modern technologies among others.