Livelihood Status of Shea Nuts Processors of German International Corporation (GIZ) Technology Intervention in Niger State, Nigeria

Abstract

The study investigate the influence of adoption of German International Corporation Technologies (GIZ) on the livelihood of the shea nuts processors (beneficiaries only) and identify constraints to the adoption of GIZ‘s processing technologies in Niger State. A two-stage sampling technique was adopted for the study. The first stage involved a purposive selection of 15 Local Government Areas (LGAs) of GIZ’s intervention. The second stage involved a proportionate random selection of 297 beneficiaries constituting 10% processors in the GIZ profile list. Also, in the same LGAs, snow-balling technique was used to randomly select 297 Shea nut processors that were GIZ non-beneficiaries, thereby making a total sample size of 594. Data were collected through interview schedule and analysed using percentages, mean, Cumulative Livelihood Status Score (CLSS) and F-test. The revealed that the productivity of GIZ’s beneficiaries before and after the adoption were found to be significant at 5%, i.e. shea nut processed (t=26.237), output (t=16.418), income t=22.634). Also, revealed that the adoption of GIZ’s technologies had improved the livelihood of the beneficiaries (CLSS = 64.9%). The indicated that the most severe constraints were inadequate fund (\(\bar{x}\) = 1.875), poor market channels (\(\bar{x}\) = 1.737) and inadequate extension contact (\(\bar{x}\) = 1.542). The study established a benchmark that the majority of the respondents were faced some basic constraints lining from inadequate finance, poor marketing linkages and average illiteracy level of assimilating of the basic principles of adoption of the technologies. The study recommended frequent technology interventions to improve the shea nuts processors capacity and experience from the government organizations or Non- Governmental Organizations (NGOs) across the value chains of the shea industry to enhance stakeholders’ productivity and livelihood activities as have been indicated in the positive outcome of adoption of GIZ technology intervention in Niger State.