Effects of Marketing Extension Services on the Control of Postharvest Losses of Root and Tuber Crop Produce in Abia State

This study assessed the effect agricultural marketing extension on control of post-harvest losses of root and tuber crop produce in Abia State. This study employed public opinion survey. This study was conducted in Abia State, Nigeria between March 2017 and January 2018.Using the multistage sampling technique and a structured questionnaire as instrument, data were collected from a sample of three hundred and eighty (380) respondents in the study area. Percentages, mean scores, and regression analysis were used as statistical tools for data analysis.The overall mean score of the farmers on the effects of marketing extension services on the control of postharvest losses of root and tuber crop produce was 2.858. Marketing extension services had significant effect on the volume of postharvest losses of root and tuber crop produce in the study area given that the F- statistics of 102.569 is significant at 1% level of significance and that computed F- value was higher than the F-tabulated value of (1.94) at 5% level of significance and (2.51) at 1% level of significance. Organizations and agencies providing marketing extension services (adps, research institutes, universities, ngos etc) should do so in accordance to famers’ needs.

Keywords: Extension Service, Marketing, post-harvest losses, root and tubers