Effect of capacity building on knowledge of farmers about improved citrus nursery practices in NIHORT adopted villages

Nigeria is the ninth largest producer of citrus. However, the major problem limiting citrus production in Nigeria is the non-availability of improved planting materials. In an effort to improve productivity, the National Horticultural Research Institute (NIHORT) has conducted a number of capacity building programs to accelerate the adoption of improved nursery practices. This study seeks to evaluate the effectiveness of that program by making a comparison between adopted and non-adopted villages. The major constraint in the adopted villages was inadequate knowledge, while the major constraint in the non-adopted villages was lack of awareness. Respondents in the adopted villages were much more aware of the benefits and the activities necessary to facilitate the budding of citrus trees.