Effectiveness of Farmer Field School on the Productivity of Cassava Farmers in Calabar Agricultural Zone, Cross River State, Nigeria (Published)
The goal of this research was to assess the effectiveness of Farmer Field School on the productivity of cassava farmers in Calabar agricultural zone, Cross River State, Nigeria. The specific objectives were to describe the socio-economic characteristics of respondents; determine the perceived effectiveness of FFS as an extension approach; and assess the perceived effectiveness of FFS on farmers’ productivity one hypothesis, “there is no significant difference between yield and income of participants before and after participation in FFS” was formulated to serve as a guide for the research. Multi-stage and purposive sampling procedures were used to select 320 respondents for the study. However, on retrieval, 318 questionnaires were realized. Primary and secondary data were the main sources of information for the study. Structured questionnaire, validated and tested for reliability was used for data collection. Descriptive statistics such as mean, frequency and percentages, were used to analyze the objectives. Paired t-test was used to analyze the hypothesis. The result revealed that majority (64.5%) of the respondents were men, 39.3 percent were between the age bracket of 31-40 years, 86.5 percent were married, with a mean household size of 6 persons. The result further showed that FFS was positively perceived to be an effective extension approach (=2.83); helping farmers gather useful information to improve their farming (=2.84), among others. The result also showed that FFS was perceived to be effective in increasing the output and income of farmers after participation. Paired t-test revealed average yield of 69.90kg and 146.96kg, as well as average income of N35,773.58 and N75,411.95, before and after FFS. The difference was significant at 0.01 alpha level. FFS should be scaled up to cover all the Local Government Areas in the State and Country at large. It was also recommended that FFS should be used by extension service providers as effective training approach to avail participants with hands-on knowledge about their enterprises.
Citation: N.A., Ayi and U.C., Undiandeye(2022) Effectiveness of Farmer Field School on the Productivity of Cassava Farmers in Calabar Agricultural Zone, Cross River State, Nigeria, International Journal of Agricultural Extension and Rural Development Studies, Vol.9, No.1, pp.19-37
Keywords: Approach, Effectiveness, extension, farmer field school
Competence and Performance of Agricultural Extension Agents in Increasing Pig Farmers’ Performance in Timor-Leste (Published)
This research aims to identify the competence and performance of agricultural extension workers to improve the performance of pig farmers and analyze the factors that affect the competence and performance of agricultural extension workers in Timor-Leste. The research started from January to October 2019 in seven districts in Timor-Leste. Total respondents in this research consisted of 135 agricultural extension workers using simple random sampling and 340 pig farmers determined by the purposive sampling method. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics to identify the characteristics of agricultural extensions and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) analysis to determine the influence between variables and their supporting factors. The results showed that the characteristics of the extensions (t = 2.69; α = 0.05), competence (t = 3.11; α = 0.05), the motivation (t = 2.11; α = 0.05), and self-reliance, (t = 2.51; α = 0.05) had a significant effect on agricultural extensions’ performance. Characteristics of the extensions (t = 0.35, α = 0.05), competence (t = 0.35; α = 0.05), motivation (t = 0.35, α = 0.05), and self-reliance (t = 0.35, α = 0.05) has an indirect effect on pig farmers’ performance. Meanwhile, agricultural extension performance directly affects farmers’ performance (t=3.74, =0.05). This research concluded that the competence and performance of the agricultural extensions affected pig farmers’ performance in Timor-Leste.
Citation:Joao Americo, I Nyman Suparta, Ni Wayan Tatik Inggriati, Budi Rahayu Tanama Putri (2021) Competence and Performance of Agricultural Extension Agents in Increasing Pig Farmers’ Performance in Timor-Leste, International Journal of Agricultural Extension and Rural Development Studies, Vol.8, No.5, pp.17-28
Keywords: Competence, Performance, extension, pig farmers
Evaluation of Communication Support Materials Used For Agricultural Development Projects in Selected States in North Central Nigeria (Published)
Food is indispensable for the survival of every human being and for Nigeria to move away from an oil dependent economy we need to invest in agriculture. One of the ways to boost food production and other agricultural products is through Agricultural Development Projects (ADPs). ADPs Extension agents in selected North Central States effectively used communication support materials to disseminate information to less schooled adult farmers on how to improve their farming techniques. Did the farmers understand them? How effective were these materials and of what value? It is based on this premise that the researcher evaluated communication support materials used for farmers in selected states in North Central Nigeria. The researcher adopted a survey design. The study population included all the states in North Central Nigeria: Benue, Kwara, Niger, Nassarawa, Plateau and Kogi. From these six states Benue, Nassarawa and Kwara States were selected through purposive sampling technique because they are the most agriculturally endowed states. The sample size of 1500 farmers were selected from the 973,380 farmers through a combination of systematic and proportional sampling techniques from the list of the registered farmers from the states. The breakdown is as follows: Benue State– 478,060, Kwara State – 313,983, and Nassarawa State – 180,433. The major instrument used was questionnaire. The questionnaire was validated through a pilot test on 20 people in Ogbomoso, Oyo State, Nigeria while the reliability of the questionnaire was established through Cronbach Alpha Analysis. The score ranged from 0.70-0.772. The data was analyzed using frequency distribution, Cross tabulation, ANOVA and Linear regressing using SPSS Software version 20.0. The linear regression analysis of the hypothesis depicts that there is no significant effect between farmers lifestyle and usage of communication and support materials among respondents (P>.0.05). Findings revealed that, majority of respondents received extension training through leaflets. The result shows that out of 1356 respondents, 1116 (86.1%) agreed that extension agents attended training very often. The study concluded that majority of farmers in selected North Central States received extension training through communication support material. On the basis of the findings, it was recommended that, extension agents should continue to use communication support materials for training farmers. However, they should ensure that these communication support materials are attractive, persuasive, easy to understand and acceptable by farmers. Furthermore, the State governments in North Central States should as a matter of priority inject more funds to the Agricultural Development Projects so as to enable the ADPs achieve their mandate of improving agricultural productivity and raising the income of small-scale farmers.
Keywords: Agricultural Development, Farmers, communication, extension
Do Extension Services Influence Milk Production among Dairy Farmers’ Cooperatives? (Published)
Dairying is viable for smallholders but suffers from high transaction costs hence the need for cooperatives that aid farmers to access various services. Agricultural extension disseminates knowledge, physical inputs, credit and builds farmer’ capacity for collecting bargaining and marketing their produce. A descriptive study design was adopted, 200 participants were selected using multi stratified random sampling. Secondary and primary data were collected using a semis-structured checklist and structured questionnaire respectively. Mean productivities for farmers who used or didn’t use extension services were compared using an independent samples t-test statistics. Dairy farmers who accessed business training, artificial insemination, improved fodder and concentrates increased milk production. Access to extension services explained 25.5% of the variations in milk production per cow per day. Dairy farmers are operating profitably with average monthly revenue ($215) versus expenditure ($58).interventions aimed at supporting dairy farmers to increase milk production should prioritize cooperatives and extension services.
Keywords: Cooperatives, Inputs, Production, extension, services
Assessment of Sources of Agricultural Information on Adoption of Maize Production Technologies in Ardo-Kola local Government Area, Taraba state, Nigeria (Published)
The study assessed the sources of agricultural information on adoption of maize production technologies in Ardo-Kola Local Government Area, Taraba State, Nigeria. Multi-stage sampling techniques were used to select respondents for the study. In the first stage, Agricultural Development Programme (ADP) block in the local government area is known as Iware block were considered for the study. Stage two, all the cell in the extension block were considered for the study. Stage three, it involve systematic sampling of twenty (20) respondents from each of the eight (8) cells were selected by taking respondents randomly. In all, a total of one hundred and sixty respondents as mummarized and 150 filled questionnaires were returned. Descriptive statistics and multiple regressions were used to analyse the information collected from the area. The result showed that many (67.33%) of the sampled farmers sourced their information from extension agents. The result of the socio-economic characteristics of maize framers revealed that 39.30% of the respondents falls within 36 – 50 years of age, most of them are on active and productive. Regression result shows that the coefficient of determination (R2) was 0.89, implying that (89%) of the variations in sources of Agricultural Information in the adoption of maize technologies were explained by the variables in the model. The result revealed that eight out of the twelve variables estimated positive and economic, economentive and statistically significant at 5 level. The study recommends that provision of information resources center in the rural area is of paramount important in order to facilitate easy access to agricultural information among farmers in the study area.
Keywords: Adoption, Technologies, extension
Agricultural Extension Services Using a Participatory Approach in Vegetable Growing Areas in Suriname (Published)
Extension Officers from the Agricultural Extension Service in Suriname, charged with communication, face difficulties in transferring information to farmers. Therefore, a mixed method study was carried out to explore possibilities to improve communication strategies and to facilitate the introduction of novelties and good practices. From August 1, 2016-February 15, 2017 388 small-scale vegetable farmers participated in a survey gauging their knowledge and practices. In addition, a participatory farmers’ experiment was conducted with 15 farmers to convey information about the application of Biochar, an innovative soil-improving compound. Results revealed that extension officers lack relevant specific agricultural knowledge. Important information on sustainable agriculture did not reach most farmers, although the participatory approach provided the means for information exchange and allowed conveying the needed information. The experiment showed that practical sessions on a regular basis with bi-directional information interchange with farmers as conducted in this research can be an effective method to introduce novelties and good practices.
Keywords: Agricultural Innovation, Biochar, Small-scale Farmers, Sustainability, communication, extension
Impact of Social Media on Agricultural Extension in Kenya: A Case of Kesses District (Published)
The introduction of social media and web 2.0 applications has opened up a platform that agricultural extension officer’s, farmers, agricultural institutions and non-governmental institutions utilize to disseminate and exchange agricultural information. The objective of the study was to assess the use of social media as a source of agricultural information with reference to farmers in Kesses District. The study adopted a descriptive survey and the major data collection tools were interviews from farmers who use social media platforms. The study purposively sampled farmers in Kesses District and data was analyzed both descriptively. From the analysis, it is evident that there is immense need for agricultural information among farmers in Kesses District. The study reveals that farmers in Kesses District have diverse source of agricultural information for example the internet, social media and extension services. Majority of farmers approach the use of social media in agricultural information seeking with a positive attitude, pointing to the assumption that social media is largely beneficial and convenient as a source of agricultural information. Among the most common challenges faced include poor network access, power outages, and costly charges when accessing the internet. This study recommends that information centers can be established in Kesses District whereby farmers can obtain agricultural information online and that social media should be fully utilized to provide; feedback, complement extension programs, access local and international markets and complement communication campaigns whose goal is to bring about agricultural development.
Keywords: Agriculture, Farmer, Information, Kenya, Social media, extension
The Knowledge Level of Farmers toward Agricultural Extension in Lublin Province – Poland (Published)
This article aims to identify the level of knowledge to farmers in Lublin province toward the agricultural extension in general, and to identify the farmers’ knowledge level in each item of the knowledge level scale, and find a correlation relationship between level of knowledge to farmers and independent variables included in this article. The results showed that the level of knowledge to farmers towards agricultural extension in general is (medium) in Lublin province. The results also showed level of knowledge to farmers high in the following items(agricultural extension helps farmers on how to eliminate the insects and diseases that affect the crops, agricultural extension helps farmers on the proper use of pesticides). The results showed also there is significant correlation between knowledge level of farmers and variables (sources information), while results did not show a significant correlation between knowledge level and independent variables (age, education, size of farm, average yields).
Keywords: Agricultural, Knowledge Level., extension
Impact of Agricultural Extension on Food Security among Small Scale Farmers in Wareng District, Kenya (Published)
Agricultural extension is one of the effective tools in attaining the millennium development goals related to the reduction and eradication of extreme poverty and hunger in developing countries like Kenya. Despite that extension services were practiced for many years in Kenya, it is evident that these services have declined rapidly. This paper aims to find out the impact of extension on food security among small scale farmers in Wareng District. A survey of 120 smallholder farmers was used in the study. Though there was difference between farmers in different wealth categories, the mean difference is larger at the present compared to the past. Generally extension have played role in improving the living status of farmers in the study area. However, agricultural extension services seems to have an impact on improving food security in the country and increase the wealth gap between farming households and also replace local landraces with improved varieties. The study recommends that the Kenyan government should develop a new and expanded policy agenda for agricultural extension and communication for rural development focusing national attention on food security and income generation of the rural poor
Keywords: Agriculture, Food Security, crops, extension, livestock’s