The study focuses on the analysis of socio-economic factors that influence the adoption of improved
maize varieties among farmers. The specific objectives are to identify the available new maize varieties
in the study area, sources of information on new maize varieties, determine the extent to which the
farmers are aware of the improved maize varieties, the influence of socio-economic characteristics of
the farmers on adoption of improved maize varieties and to identify the problems confronting farmers’
adoption of new maize varieties. Data was obtained from fifty (50) maize farmers through the use of
structured questionnaires. The data collected were analysed using descriptive statistics and regression
analysis. It was found that more than half of the respondents (sixty percent) were aware of the improved
maize varieties and have been using them, while fifty four percent of the respondents got their
information from extension agents. All the respondents (100%) were aware of the improved maize
varieties. The results of the regression analysis showed that household size, level of education, contact
with extension agents, and access to credit and yield of the improved maize varieties were the factors
that influence the adoption of improved maize varieties. The major constraints identified were high cost
of fertilizer and cost of labour, lack of capital, lack of contact with extension agents and lack of market
for produce. It is recommended that cost of fertilizer should be subsidized, efforts should be made to
make credit accessible to farmers, and there should be increased number of extension agents who
would help introduce new maize varieties to farmers and an effective input supply system that would
sustain the expansion of maize output by farmers in the study area should be put in place.