Factors Associated with Adoption and Utilization of Moringa among Rural Women in Osun State, Nigeria

Abstract: The study focused on factors associated with adoption and utilization of Moringa among rural women in Osun State, Nigeria. Data were gathered through structured interview schedule from 120 rural women that participated in DelPHE Project 643. Data collected were analyzed using descriptive statistical tools while inferential statistics such as Chi Square and Pearson Product Moment Correlation were used to test the hypothesis set. The results of the study showed that the mean age of women interviewed in the study area was 43.5 ± 2.9 years and had spent an average of 4.4 ± 4.2 years in formal school, while vast majority (81.7%) of them belongs to one association or the other. The result also indicated that few (15.7%) of the women were not involved in any occupation. There were significant association between respondents' level of Moringa's adoption and their main occupation (χ2= 33.48; Ï≤ 0.01); organization membership (χ2= 29.50; Ï≤ 0.01); and marital status (χ2= 32.85; Ï≤ 0.05), also there was negative and significant relationship between respondents' adoption of Moringa and their age (r=-0.414; Ï≤ 0.01); and the relationship with their years of formal education (r=0.434; Ï≤ 0.01) was positive. The study also identified four crucial factors associated with adoption and utilization of Moringa among rural women in the study area which were socio economic factor (λ= 1.8202); extension agents' related factor (λ= 1.6744); Moringa related factor (λ= 2.6458); and community related factor (λ= 0.7792). The factors identified explained 83.50 percent of the variance in adoption and utilization of Moringa among rural women in Osun State.