The project “Training and monitoring of women’s groups on the manufacture of cocoa
products” of World Cocoa Foundation (WCF) with the Institute of Agricultural Research for
Development (IRAD) and NGO’s CONAFAC, have permitted to diffuse some new
technologies of cocoa processing into derived products among farmers in order to reduce
poverty, malnutrition and food insecurity in rural areas. The objective of this study is to
measure the level of utilization of new technologies and to determine factors that can affect
the adoption of these new technologies by farmers. The methodology used in data collection
was the direct survey. The levels of adoption were confirmed by a descriptive analyses
method, probate and generalized linear model. A case study was done in Mbalmayo and
Mbangassina. The results showed that, generally, cocoa butter was the most adopted
innovative product, followed by cocoa power and soy-chocolate drink. The adoption rate may
differ with studied areas. The major difficulties encountered during the technological adoption
were as follows; crushing cocoa bean (30%), lack of cocoa bean (21%), lack of adequate
sunshine (12%), lack of electricity (11%). The econometric Logit Model showed that two
variables; occupation and level of education influenced the adoption model positively and
significantly (coefficient of regression are 0.54806 and 0.16477 respectively). Age group (-
0.04778), Marital status (-0.00094) and sex (-0.14214) were negative with no significant
coefficient of regression. Our results indicate that cocoa bean transformation into its varied
derivatives, offer opportunities to farmers to generate more income. But most female cocoa
farmers do not own personal cocoa farm land, and do not have adequate processing materials.
Both factors have negative effect on the adoption of new technologies.