Analysis of factors affecting the adoption of climate-friendly agricultural technologies by smallholder farmers in oyo state, Nigeria.

Despite its significant economic contribution, Nigeria's agricultural sector faces serious challenges such as climate change and related socio-economic stressors. In this context, this study aimed to analyze the factors influencing the adoption of climate-friendly agricultural technologies (CFAT/İDTT) by smallholder farmers in Oyo State, Nigeria. Data collected via surveys from 137 participants selected through a multi-stage sampling procedure were analyzed using both descriptive and inferential statistics. Findings indicate that the majority of participants were male, married, around 42 years old on average, possessed a certain level of education, and had significant farming experience. Operating mostly on inherited small-scale farmlands, participants largely relied on personal savings for farm financing, with a significant portion also having off-farm income. Crop production was generally small-scale, with maize and cassava as primary crops; however, cassava exhibited higher yield potential. Approximately half of the participants showed high awareness of CFAT, primarily stemming from social media platforms (e.g., Facebook, WhatsApp). Key barriers to adoption included lack of technical knowledge, low-profit margins, high upfront costs, social inequality, adherence to traditional methods, inadequate infrastructure, and unpredictable weather conditions. Despite these barriers, a significant proportion of participants adopted CFAT at a high level and strongly believed in these technologies' potential to contribute to sustainability and reduce environmental impacts. Statistical analyses revealed that factors such as educational qualifications, farming experience, total farm size, and access to information sources significantly influenced CFAT adoption. These findings underscore the critical importance of targeted interventions addressing these direct influencing factors, particularly promoting education, improving extension services, and enhancing agricultural infrastructure, to foster the widespread adoption of sustainable farming practices. In conclusion, the study found a high probability of CFAT adoption among farmers in the study area. Therefore, it is recommended that efforts be made to harmonize modern technologies with existing traditional farming practices to ensure the sustainability of this adoption level. KEYWORDS: Adoption of Innovations, Climate-Smart Technologies, Smallholder Farmers, Oyo State, Climate-Smart Agriculture, Agricultural Technologies.