8 pages, The study examined the impact of climate change and extension service on rice farmers' yield in Ebonyi State, Nigeria. A total of 402 rice farmers were sampled through multi-stage sampling for questionnaire administration. Primary data collected were analyzed using mean, frequency, percentage, ordinary least square multiple regression techniques, the Local Average Treatment Effect (LATE) model, and the probit model. Socio-economic characteristics show that a greater proportion of the farmers were male (51.7%), married (84.1%), and attended secondary education (47.8%). Sources of climate change information were farmer-to-farmer (100%), telephone/mobile phone (98.5%), radio (92.5%), workshop/seminars (73.4%), and television (46.8%). Temperature (P<-0.01), rainfall (P<-0.01), evaporation rate (P<-0.01), and severe windstorm (P<-0.01) influenced rice yield negatively, while relative humidity (P<0.05) and atmospheric pressure (P<0.01) had a positive influence on rice yield. The results from the LATE model, which measures the average effect of a treatment on the treated, show a decrease in rice yields of 84.1% and 96.5%. Production constraints felt by rice farmers include high cost of input materials (100%), inadequate capital (100%), high cost of labor (99.8%), poor extension access and service (99.5%), and Fulani-herdsmen conflict (76.9%). The study recommends rice farmers implement climate-smart agriculture to mitigate climate change and access farm information and/or services from experienced farmers.
8 pages, This perspective paper reviews the existing research directions on agricultural extension programmes in Nigeria and highlights how they are incapable of diffusing enough knowledge to facilitate the adoption of 21st-century agricultural innovations and enhance sustainable practices among rural farmers. A key idea of this paper is to suggest a new direction of research that is oriented towards the quality, skills, and strategies of effective and efficient communication that the extension agents possess, and a two-way communication delivery, and accentuate how it is a panacea for effective diffusion of knowledge and adoption of agricultural innovations among rural farmers. The methodology was to review and compare bodies of literature from countries with the best agricultural extension and rural advisory services, particularly some countries in Asia, and show how insights from those countries can inform a new research direction in effectively communicating agricultural innovations to Nigerian rural farmers. Drawing on experiences from those countries, it was confirmed that Nigeria's extension system is not effective and efficient in communicating innovations in global agricultural practices to farmers in the rural areas, and research efforts in extension services in the country are still fixated on the role of extension agents as teachers to farmer-pupils and one-way communication delivery from research through extension to farmers, and the availability and ability to use communication channels. Based on the current challenges in farming and agriculture at large, there is a need to rethink the concept of extension in Nigeria, emphasize training of agents, acquisition of communication skills and adoption of a two-way communication delivery that recognises farmers as autonomous agents and co-designers of agricultural innovations and not just passive receivers. The value of this paper is that it is arguably the first attempt to chart a new perspective and communication delivery methods for research and practice in agricultural extension programmes in Nigeria.
Conference paper / Journal article, This study examined farmers’ readiness to assess social media as agro-information reception tool in the study area. An interview guide was used in collecting data from 120 farmers who were randomly selected. Data collected were analysed with the aid frequency counts percentages and logit regression. The results showed that half of the respondents (50%) had primary education. About 90% were aware of whatsapp and 12.6% were aware of blogs, respectively. Education, farming experience, membership of farmers’ group and extension access were the variables that positively influence farmers’ readiness to assesssocial media as agro-information reception tool while respondents’ age negatively influence readiness to assess social media. Enlightenment programmes for farmers on the use of social media and an improved extension services to keep the farmers acquainted with the benefits of social media.
13 pages., via online joural., Due to inadequate personnel, information communication technologies (ICTs) have become an attractive option for delivery of extension information. This study examined awareness and use of ICTs by farmers in Oyo State, Nigeria. A total of 192 farmers were interviewed. Results indicate that most farmers had no formal education and small farm holdings. Awareness of older ICTs like radio and television was more prevalent among farmers as compared with newer ICTs such as Internet and cable television. However, use of modern ICTs like mobile phones and cable television was greater than that for older technologies such as fax machines. Farmers were constrained in ICT use by prohibitive cost and service failure. The Nigerian government should encourage a liberal policy for affordable prices for modern ICT products, especially mobile telephones.
Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA) (author)
Format:
Book
Publication Date:
2011
Published:
International: Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa, Accra, Ghana.
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 141 Document Number: D06192
Notes:
42 pages., Includes section on level of biotechnology awareness in African countries and channels used to create awareness of biotechnology by institutions in those countries. Literature review indicated inadequate diffusion of science-based information on GE crops at both grassroots and policymaker levels.
14 pages., One of the bedrock of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is eradication of poverty and hunger. In an attempt to actualize this goal, the role of public libraries in information provision to agricultural extension agents in Nigeria becomes paramount. This paper discusses provision of information to agricultural extension agents in a developing country. It starts with the concept of extension agents and the essence of information provision to them. It further discusses types, sources and challenges of public libraries in information provision to agricultural extension workers in a developing country. Some of the challenges are as follows: poor funding of public libraries, demotivated staff, and so on. Based on these discussions, the paper recommended adequate training and retraining of staff, adequate funding of public libraries by the federal, state and local government, the revitalization of the abandoned mobile library services among others. The paper therefore concludes that information provision to agricultural extension agents by public library is very crucial for national development. The current state of poverty, hunger and lack in Nigeria and some other African countries could be reduced to a great extent if current, relevant and up-to-date information are provided by libraries to the concerned agencies.
