Utilization of Information Communication Technology’s Components for Coordination of Marketing, Agricultural Commodities in Oyo State Nigeria

Base on the fact that ICT’s components are the fastest tools of disseminating information and Nigeria being an agrarian country that its utilization for marketing agricultural commodities (MAC) becomes pertinent. The study is a pilot project conducted in Oyo state because it is one of the food basket states in Nigeria. List of markets was the sampling frame work for the research; from where 8 markets were randomly selected. Sixty agricultural commodities marketers (ACM) were randomly selected from marketer’s list. Interview schedule was used to solicit for information from (ACM). Regression analysis was used to ascertain the level of contribution of each ICT’s components to MAC. Result revealed that mobile phone, radio, and television and automated teller machine awareness mean scores 3.5,3,4 .3. 3 and 2.5 respectively were higher than any other components put into consideration. Adoption rate of ICTs component for marketing agricultural commodities revealed that automated teller machine and mobile phone for marketing agricultural commodities adoption mean scores 2.5, and 2,8  were higher than any other ICT components However, very few 32.3 % 22.1% of the marketers made use of ICT components for recording of sales of farm commodities and saving money respectively. High cost of power and telephone services, poverty level of agricultural marketers and limited access to ICT components ranked first ,second and third respective as the constraints to marketing of agricultural commodities among other components Regression analysis results indicated that  mobile phone, radio, and automated money transferred machine are the most important ICT components in marketing of agricultural commodities. Despite the role of ICT’s in ACM the marketers have  not been able to make use of  facilities frequently  because of those constraints  identified  in this study  hence, a programme that will  provide solutions to those constrains    should be promoted. Keywords: Information, marketing, ICT components, agricultural commodity and utilizatio

Spatial distribution of agro-input centers and their accessibility to farmers in Oyo State, Nigeria

socio-economic characteristics of respondents were described using frequency counts and percentages. Inferential statistics such as chi-square was used to test the hypotheses. Geographic Information System (GIS) software (ArcView 9.3) was used to map locations and analyse distances and multiple buffers were developed around input centers to determine farmers' accessibility. Results from the study show that inputs like fertilizer (65%), agro-chemicals (94.38%), and planting materials like seeds and stems (90.63%) were majorly procured from private input centers. Majority (74.37%) of the farmers interviewed travel more than 15 km to procure input from government established input centers. Chi-square results showed significant relationship between sex (χ2=29.51, P=0.05), marital status (χ2=10.97, P=0.00), income (χ2=32.55, P=0.00) and farm size (χ2=14.73, P=0.00). Improvement in agricultural output will depend to some extent on farmers’ access to agro-input centers. The government should establish agro-input input centers closer to farmers and make inputs available at subsidized rates; this will make them affordable to farmers and increase agricultural production

Influence of extension education on land pollution reduction in Abeokuta Area of Ogun State, Nigeria

The study attempted to investigate the influence of the level of awareness and use of environmental education information obtained from public extension education program on environmental sanitation and wastes disposal practices by residents of Abeokuta South Local Government Area. A total of 450 residents were interviewed while senior environmental health officials of Ogun State Environmental Protection Agency (OGEPA) and Abeokuta South LG Council responded to a questionnaire. Data collected were analyzed using frequency, percentages, analysis of variance and simple linear regression. Results indicated that majority of residents disposed wastes improperly, making the town a bit dirty. The level of awareness and use of environmental education information obtained through extension education is low. However, the level of awareness ad use of information obtained through extension education methods influenced resident's environmental sanitation and waste disposal practices. Radio and TV were the commonest sources of environmental education information. Residents' level of income and years of formal education acquired had significant relationship with their waste disposal and environmental sanitation practices. Wastes are disposed improperly because of inability to afford out-door refuse drums (bins), fees charged by private environmental sanitation agencies and far location of refuse disposal houses. Recommendations included intensification of public extension education programs on environmental sanitation, stricter of enforcement of environmental sanitation laws, building of more refuse disposal houses and provision of out-door refuse bins (placed in strategic places) by the government. [JEXT Vol.1(1) 2000: 17-27

Women's participation in sustainable crop farming activities in Odeda Local Government Area of Ogun State

Women have been found to be the key people responsible for providing household food supplies in Sub Saharan Africa but have minimal access to production facilities. This study examined the level of women's participation in sustainable crop farming activities in Odeda local government area of Ogun State, determined various sustainable crop farming activities engaged in y women, categorized them on the basis of their level of participation and identified the various means of improving their level of participation in crop farming activities. A multi-stage random sampling method was used in selecting 150 women farmers from two ADP zones. An interview schedule was designed to obtain data on the respondents' eleven identified sustainable crop-farming activities. Results show that most of the respondents have between 3-10 years of farming experience. Over half of them had average farm size of 2-3 hectares while over one-third had no formal education. The highest mean for each crop farming activity was set at 2.00 crop farming activities such as processing, storage and planting had higher mean scores ( x = 1.81 x= 1.79; x = 1.64 respectively) while ridging, fertilizer application and stumping had lower mean scores (x = 0.82; x = 0.91 x = 0.95 respectively). The respondents were categorized into 3 on the basis of the scores on the level of women's participation in sustainable crop farming activities thus: i. Low level participation Z= (-1.20 to-0.22) 42.7 percent ii. Medium level participation Z = - (0.23 to -0.76) 48.0 percent iii. High level participation Z = (0.77 to 1.75) 9.3 percent There was no significant relationship between respondent's level of participation in sustainable crop farming activities and their religion (2= 0.35,p>0.05) and farm size (2 0.71 p>0.05). A significant relationship however, existed between the level of sustainable crop farming activities and respondents' age (2 = 0.10; p< 0.05), educational level (2 = 0.61,

Farmers and Extension Personnel View of Constraints to Effective Agricultural Extension Services Delivery in Oyo State, Nigeria

This study examined farmers’ and extension personnel's View of constraints to effectiveness of agricultural extension services in Oyo State, Nigeria. Simple random sampling technique was used to select 100 farmers and 20 extension personnel. Data subjected to descriptive and correlation analyses were collected using questionnaire and interview schedule. Findings reveal that constraints to effectiveness of extension service include inadequate extension equipment/facilities (χ= 3.73), insufficient extension personnel (χ= 3.44) and poor planning of extension programme (χ= 2.8). About 54% of farmers perceived that extension service is ineffective while about 46% of extension personnel perceived it to be effective. Results show a weak correlation between personal characteristics of farmers and their perception towards the effectiveness of agricultural extension services (r = 0.081, p&lt; 0.05). It is concluded that constraints to effective extension service might not significantly affect the peoples’ view of extension effectiveness, however, the less the constraints to extension services the better the perception of extension services.Keywords: Extension, Effectiveness, Constraints, Perception and Agricultur