FARMERS’ PERCEPTION OF “LATOJU OJA†RADIO PROGRAMME IN IDDO LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF OYO STATE, NIGERIA

Radio is noted to be one of the most important sources of reaching farmers in many developing countries because of its cheapness and wide coverage. The study assessed farmers’ perception of “Latoju Oja†radio programme of Radio Nigeria in Iddo Local Government of Oyo State Nigeria. Three major towns were purposively selected because of their high commercial and farming activities. From each town thirty-five respondents were selected using the snowball technique to make one hundred and five respondents for the study. Descriptive and inferential statistics such as frequency counts, percentages and chi-square analysis were used in analyzing the data obtained. The study revealed that 60% of the respondents were 40 years and above, 95% were male, 88% were married while majority (68.8%) of the respondents indicated that they had completed secondary school education, with very few (5%) attending tertiary institutions. The programme listened to “regularly†by the respondents on radio were news (75.2%), religious issues (51.2%) and agricultural issues (48.7%). On respondents’ frequency of listening to “Latoju Oja†programme, 57.5% listen regularly while 35% listen occasionally. The study revealed that the respondents are positively disposed to “Latoju Oja†radio programme.  Chi-square analysis showed that there were no significant associations between sex, religion, marital status and respondents’ perception, while age and educational level showed significant associations with farmers’ perception. In addition, Chi-square analysis showed that no significant association exists between the respondents’ listening frequency and perception of “Latoju Oja†Programme. The study concluded that more markets should be included in the radio programme, since farmers have positive disposition to the programme to enable farmers have a more detailed knowledge of commodities prices in more markets in the area.Â

Farmers' Perception of the Agricultural Information Resource Centre at Ago-Are, Oyo State, Nigeria

Abstract: This study assessed farmers' perception of the agricultural information resource centre at Ago Are, Oyo State, Nigeria as a source of information for improving agricultural productivity. A structured questionnaire was used to elicit responses from 60 farmers who were randomly selected. The findings show that majority of the respondents (75%) are males and about fifty six percent of them were between the ages of 25 to 50 years. Majority of the respondents (68.3%) had no formal education while 51.2% had more than 25 years farming experience. Respondents mostly used information board, video presentation and the radio programme at the centre. The most frequently sought information is on fertilizer application, harvesting methods and market information. Internet usage by the farmers was found to be low due to the frequent break down of the computers in the centre. Most of the respondents perceive the centre as an important means of getting information needed to boost their agricultural production. There was a significant relationship between the type of information sought and respondents' perception of the resource centre (r = 0.28; P>0.05). A need to organize frequent training for farmers and adequate maintenance of resource centre's facilities to avoid constant breakdown were recommended

SOCIETAL AWARENESS OF THE CHILD’S RIGHTS ACT AMONG RURAL AND URBAN DWELLERS OF OGUN STATE

Protecting the rights of children has become important to local and international agencies of government and non-governmental organizations. This led to the formulation of laws that provided for and protected the rights of the child. Such laws include the United Nation’s Convention on the Rights of the Child, the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child, the Nigeria’s Child’s Rights Act (CRA) and the Child’s Rights Law of Ogun State. However, the provisions of these documents seem to be inefficient in curbing the violation of child’s rights due to the high prevalence of street hawking, raping, corporal punishment, etc among children in Nigeria and Ogun State in particular. Hence, this study sought the societal awareness of CRA in rural and urban areas of Ogun State. About 243 rural and urban residents were interviewed through multistage sampling techniques with the aid of questionnaires and interview schedules administered on the different groups of respondents. The result showed that 69.14% of Ogun State residents were aware of the CRA. It further revealed that awareness of CRA was higher in urban than rural areas. Awareness of CRA was primarily sourced through the radio (42.86%) and television (42.86%). Radio and awareness campaigns were the most common sources of awareness among rural (51.76%) and urban (65.06%) residents respectively. The study recommended that government agencies and non-governmental organizations should sponsor more programmes that will be specifically directed to raising residents’ awareness of CRA in rural areas of the state. 

Gender differentials in the determinants of usage of climate change adaptation strategies in farming communities of Ekiti and Ogun States, Southwest Nigeria

The use of adaptation strategies remains the only approach to reduce and combat the effects posed by climate change all over the world. We explored the extent of usage of adaptation strategies by farmers in Ekiti and Ogun States. 358 men and 222 women farmers were surveyed using multi-stage procedure. We employed semi-structured questionnaire and focus group discussions to collect data from the respondents. The data were analysed descriptively and presented in percentages and frequency counts. The data were further subjected to Chisquare, Pearson’s Product Moment Correlation, t-test, multiple linear regression analysis and Explorative Factor Analysis (EFA). The findings revealed that the majority of men (99.7%) and women farmers (96.8%) perceived to adapt to climate change. Men (= 2.29) relative to women (= 2.33) used more on-farm adaptation strategies. The strongest determinant of usage of climate change adaptation strategies by men farmers was climate change adaptation barriers (t = 5.13, p < 0.01), while for women farmers, climate change experience (t = 7.42, p < 0.01) was the strongest determinant. The promotion of gender-sensitive approaches to climate change adaptation that cater for the needs of men and women farmers is highly essential to enhance adaptation among them

Agricultural Information Needs of Women Farmers in South-Western Nigeria: Lessons for Effective Extension Delivery

This study determined the specific agricultural information needs of women farmers across the ago-ecological zones of south western Nigeria. A stratified andmulti-stage random sampling technique was adopted in selecting 347 women farmers that were duly registered with the Agricultural Development Programme (ADP) in Ogun, Oyo, Ondo and Delta States. Frequency counts, percentages, chi-square analysis and analysis of variance (ANOVA) were used in analyzing the generated data Findings reveal that 43.3% of the respondents are between 41 and 50 years, and that 83.4% are married. Cassava and maize are the major crops grown by the women farmers (100%). Furthermore, findings reveal that women farmers to a “large extent" need information pertaining to improved seeds (64.0%) and cooperative association (57.3%) while 56.8% do not need information on government regulations. Results of inferential statistics indicate that educational level is not significantly related to agricultural information needs (y? =0.35; p > 0.05). Hoyvever, there is a significant relationship between age and womenfarmers agricultural information needs (g2= 16,87, p < 0.05). But there is no significant difference in the agricultural information needs of women farmers in the Rain Forest zone ( x =41.8) and Savannah zone ( x =40.6), (F= 0.29;p > 0-05). Therefore extension delivery packages to womenfarmers should layparticular emphasis on agricultural information relating to improvedseeds andcooperative associations

Agricultural Information Needs of Women Farmers in South-Western Nigeria: Lessons for Effective Extension Delivery

This study determined the specific agricultural information needs of women farmers across the ago-ecological zones of south western Nigeria. A stratified andmulti-stage random sampling technique was adopted in selecting 347 women farmers that were duly registered with the Agricultural Development Programme (ADP) in Ogun, Oyo, Ondo and Delta States. Frequency counts, percentages, chi-square analysis and analysis of variance (ANOVA) were used in analyzing the generated data Findings reveal that 43.3% of the respondents are between 41 and 50 years, and that 83.4% are married. Cassava and maize are the major crops grown by the women farmers (100%). Furthermore, findings reveal that women farmers to a “large extent" need information pertaining to improved seeds (64.0%) and cooperative association (57.3%) while 56.8% do not need information on government regulations. Results of inferential statistics indicate that educational level is not significantly related to agricultural information needs (y? =0.35; p > 0.05). Hoyvever, there is a significant relationship between age and womenfarmers agricultural information needs (g2= 16,87, p < 0.05). But there is no significant difference in the agricultural information needs of women farmers in the Rain Forest zone ( x =41.8) and Savannah zone ( x =40.6), (F= 0.29;p > 0-05). Therefore extension delivery packages to womenfarmers should layparticular emphasis on agricultural information relating to improvedseeds andcooperative associations

Public Agricultural Extension Agents' Knowledge of the Concept of E-Extension in Ogun State, Nigeria

Agricultural extension practice worldwide has shifted towards the use of information communication technologies (ICTs) for agricultural information sourcing and delivery but its integration in this part of the world is still very minimal. This study assessed extension agents’ knowledge of the concept of e-extension in Ogun State Agricultural Development Programme. A total of 51 agricultural extension agents were randomly selected from the sample frame 59 extension agents using Taro Yamane’s formula. Primary data were obtained through a structured questionnaire from extension agents. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Chi-square and linear regression. Results reveal that the mean age, years of work experience and monthly income of the respondents were; 36.6 years, 8 years and N88,137.25k respectively. Majority (74.5%) of the respondents were male, 72.5% were married while 64.7% had a Bachelor of Science. The main e-extension services the respondents were aware of were; short messaging service (96.1%), emails (88.2%) and farmers’ contact center (86.3%). Most (86.3%) of the extension agents were knowledgeable about the concept of e-extension with meetings and training (x̅ =1.82 respectively) being the major sources of information about e-extension. Sources of information on the concept of e-extension (β= 0.162, p=0.019) and level of education of the extension agents (β=-0.578 p=0.030) significantly influenced knowledge of the concept of e-extension. It was concluded that the respondents were knowledgeable about the concept of e-extension with a recommendation that the Nigerian agricultural technology transfer policy should emphasize the use of e-extension services coupled with more training on integrating this concept into the extension service delivery systems