Agricultural technologies and innovations play a great role in increasing productivity, alleviating and reducing poverty and contributing to economic development and this is made possible through adoption of improved technologies and innovations. This study centered on analysis of adoption of improved groundnut varieties in the Tropical Legume (TL III) States of Nigeria. Purposive and simple random sampling techniques were used to select 1476 groundnut farmers in the project States and from whom primary data were collected using electronic data capturing instrument containing the questionnaire. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and Average Treatment Effect (ATE) framework. The results showed that the breeding and promotion of improved groundnut varieties in Nigeria under the Tropical Legume Project and with the synergy of USAID groundnut up-scaling Project in Nigeria resulted in very high level of awareness of improved varieties, more than average level of access to the improved variety seeds, moderate level of utilization of the improved varieties among the groundnut farmers and the adoption rate of improved varieties increased from 8% at based line to 57% at the end of the project. The study recommends extension of the project to facilitate further access to these varieties and for state governments to take ownership of the projects in terms of financial commitments to promotional efforts for mass adoption by farmers.

Low profit from most staple food production in Nigeria, have continued to discourage the teaming unemployed Nigerian youth from taking up farming as a business. Therefore, this study analyzes the cost and economic returns in Ebonyi State rice production. This study made used of simple random sampling techniques to select 242 rice farmers. The study employed the use of structured questionnaire in its primary data collection. The collected data were analyzed using descriptive statistics (Percentages, Frequency, Standard deviation and Mean), Net Rice Farming Income (NRFI) and Returns/US Dollar Invested (RUSDI). The result from the analysis reveals that rice production is profitable in Ebonyi state. The Net Rice Farming Income (NRFI) obtained by the farmers in Ebonyi state were $900.10 US Dollar per hectare while the return on investment obtained by them were $2.90 US Dollar per hectare. Therefore, unemployed youth in Nigeria should be encourage through provision of rice farming grant or loan by the government. In addition, adequate training on improve technology should be conducted by the government agency for the rice farmers.

Poverty is a major menace in Nigeria. There is an increasing concerns by the government, international and local aid donors for concrete evidence to be supplied on the impact of such public programmes that aims at reducing poverty. This research focused on the impact of USAID-MARKETS II project on poverty status of rice farming households in Ebonyi state, Nigeria. Multi-stage sampling procedure was used to select 239 participants and 252 non-participants of USAID-MARKETS II project for the study. Data were collected from primary source with the aid of structured questionnaire and field observations and analyzed using descriptive statistics (mean and standard error) and inferential statistics (FGT Measures, Propensity Score Matching and LATE Model). The result reveals that participation in USAID-MARKETS II project increased the participants monthly per capita income by N5336.9 (45.5% increment) as reveals by PSM (Propensity Score Matching) while the LATE (Local Average Treatment Effect) estimates shows that USAID-MARKETS II significantly, and positively increased per capita income of the participants by N1193.86 (5.4% increment). The result further shows that the increment was more on the poor participants' monthly per capita income than on their non-poor counterpart. The study suggested that USAID-MARKET II project should be replicated in other parts of the state that were not initially involved in the project because of its pro-poor nature and positive impact. In addition, future USAID-MARKET project design should incorporate the socio-economic variables, norms, and culture of Ebonyi people for greater impact.

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