Constraints and Perceived Drivers to Innovative Capabilities of Oil Palm Farmers in Edo State, Nigeria

Innovation in oil palm production is essential for increasing productivity, enhancing sustainability, and ensuring economic growth in Nigeria’s agricultural sector. However, oil palm producers in Edo State face both enabling and limiting factors that influence their innovative capabilities. This study investigates the key drivers and constraints to innovations among oil palm farmers in Edo State. A multi-stage sampling technique was adopted to select 293 oil palm producers comprising of farmers and processors within five oil palm-producing Local Government Areas (LGAs). Structured and validated questionnaire was used to collect data. Frequency counts, percentages, mean, and a 5-pontt Likert scale were used to analyze the data. The findings reveal that multiple income streams (mean = 4.69), financial stability (mean = 4.62) and poverty alleviation (mean = 4.60) among others were the significant perceived drivers of oil palm producers’ innovative capabilities. Conversely, major constraints to innovation use were high cost of input costs (mean = 4.49), insufficient funding, labor shortages, and market price fluctuations. The study concludes that significant constraints to innovation usage among oil palm producers in the study area were education and access to credit as well as extension contacts. Government should critically consider these if farmers’ production status in oil palm production in Nigeria is a target in generating revenue as it used to be in the past.