Participation and Altitude of Beneficiaries to the Third National Fadama Development Project in Kogi State, Nigeria

The study assessed the attitude to and participation of beneficiaries in the Third National Fadama Development Project in Kogi State, Nigeria. One hundred randomly selected beneficiaries were used. Data were collected with the aid of structured interview schedule and analysed by the use of mean scores and factor analysis. The results reveal that beneficiaries participated at collegial, consultative, and collaborative levels in different activities of the project. Majority (74.0%) of the respondents were satisfied with the objective, activities and operational modalities of the project. The respondents however, indicated that the project was constrained by production, institutional and financial factors. The study recommends that beneficiaries should be encouraged to be self- mobilized in certain areas of the project like design, implementation and supervision of sub-project, selecting services, service providers and location of productive assets. The government, both state and local should ensure timely and adequate provision of fund to facilitate effective implementation of activities in critical areas such as capacity building, demand driven adaptive research, mobility of facilitators and others, which largely influence performance of the project in terms of realizing the objectives

Linkage Behavior and Practices of Agencies in the Agricultural Innovation Transfer Sub System in Southeastern Nigeria: Issues for Agricultural Extension policy

The study examined the linkage behaviour and practices of agencies in the agricultural innovation transfer sub system in Southeastern Nigeria.  A total sample size of 210 respondents purposively selected from ADPs(60), LGs(60), profit NGOs(60), non- profit NGOs(30) were used. Data were collected by the use of questionnaires; and analyzed using percentage, mean scores, and factor analysis. The study revealed poor linkage dynamics among the agencies. Majority (72.2%) ADPS of the respondents indicated strong linkages with research institutes, but linkages with agencies in the transfer sub-system were either weak or not in existence. The LGs as well as profit NGOs had either weak or no linkage with most agencies in both innovation generation and transfer sub- systems. Non-profit NGOs(50.0%) reported somewhat strong linkages with research institutes; while (61.5%,65.5%and 50.0%) indicated that linkages with  universities of agriculture, colleges of agriculture and para-veterinary firms were not in existent, respectively. The major linkage mechanisms that existed among the agencies were use of bulletin, annual reports, and magazine. Factors constraining linkages among the agencies were policy related, organizational, attitude –related, and motivational. The study concludes that operational and structural mechanisms should be put in place to facilitate strong and effective linkages for efficiency of resource use and cost effectiveness through synergies and complementarities of efforts. Government should entrench linkage mandate in policies establishing research-extension system to encourage and facilitate public-public and public-private linkages in the sub-system. Existing institutional framework for linkages between research and extension system should be re-visited to evolve more dynamic arrangements and to create mechanism for increase participation of private agencies. Also policy makers should invest on orientation and building linkage leadership among administrators and extension practitioners to stimulate innovation culture.Â

Linkage Behavior and Practices of Agencies in the Agricultural Innovation Transfer Sub System in Southeastern Nigeria: Issues for Agricultural Extension policy

The study examined the linkage behaviour and practices of agencies in the agricultural innovation transfer sub system in Southeastern Nigeria.  A total sample size of 210 respondents purposively selected from ADPs(60), LGs(60), profit NGOs(60), non- profit NGOs(30) were used. Data were collected by the use of questionnaires; and analyzed using percentage, mean scores, and factor analysis. The study revealed poor linkage dynamics among the agencies. Majority (72.2%) ADPS of the respondents indicated strong linkages with research institutes, but linkages with agencies in the transfer sub-system were either weak or not in existence. The LGs as well as profit NGOs had either weak or no linkage with most agencies in both innovation generation and transfer sub- systems. Non-profit NGOs(50.0%) reported somewhat strong linkages with research institutes; while (61.5%,65.5%and 50.0%) indicated that linkages with  universities of agriculture, colleges of agriculture and para-veterinary firms were not in existent, respectively. The major linkage mechanisms that existed among the agencies were use of bulletin, annual reports, and magazine. Factors constraining linkages among the agencies were policy related, organizational, attitude –related, and motivational. The study concludes that operational and structural mechanisms should be put in place to facilitate strong and effective linkages for efficiency of resource use and cost effectiveness through synergies and complementarities of efforts. Government should entrench linkage mandate in policies establishing research-extension system to encourage and facilitate public-public and public-private linkages in the sub-system. Existing institutional framework for linkages between research and extension system should be re-visited to evolve more dynamic arrangements and to create mechanism for increase participation of private agencies. Also policy makers should invest on orientation and building linkage leadership among administrators and extension practitioners to stimulate innovation culture.Â

Participation and Altitude of Beneficiaries to the Third National Fadama Development Project in Kogi State, Nigeria

The study assessed the attitude to and participation of beneficiaries in the Third National Fadama Development Project in Kogi State, Nigeria. One hundred randomly selected beneficiaries were used. Data were collected with the aid of structured interview schedule and analysed by the use of mean scores and factor analysis. The results reveal that beneficiaries participated at collegial, consultative, and collaborative levels in different activities of the project. Majority (74.0%) of the respondents were satisfied with the objective, activities and operational modalities of the project. The respondents however, indicated that the project was constrained by production, institutional and financial factors. The study recommends that beneficiaries should be encouraged to be self- mobilized in certain areas of the project like design, implementation and supervision of sub-project, selecting services, service providers and location of productive assets. The government, both state and local should ensure timely and adequate provision of fund to facilitate effective implementation of activities in critical areas such as capacity building, demand driven adaptive research, mobility of facilitators and others, which largely influence performance of the project in terms of realizing the objectives

Factors affecting performance of Facilitators in the Fadama 111 Development Project in Enugu State, Nigeria

The study examined issues associated with the performance of facilitators in Fadama 111 Development Project. All the (68) facilitators in the Fadama 111 Development Project were used. Questionnaire was used for data collection and analysis conducted using descriptive statistics. Majority of the facilitators were females (51.6%) with mean age of 39 years and working experience of 8 years in extension. A greater proportion (64.0%) had degree with specialization in agriculture (50.9%) and social sciences and other disciplines (49.0%). The respondents ranked interaction with supervisors (M= 3.98), methods of human /staff communication (M= 3.56), monitoring and evaluation system (M= 3.32), timeliness of allowance (M=3.22), coordination and supervision techniques used (M= 3.20), provision of training facilities, (M= 3.20) as the first six organizational factors influencing performance. Job- related issues included pressure to increase output/quality of work (M=3.67), Supervisors expectations (M= 3.57), staff mobility (M= 3.52), timeliness of input (M=3.49), inadequate training opportunity (M= 3.28), conflicting orders (M= 3.21) and others. Also employeerelated issues associated with performance of facilitators were involvement in religious activities (M=3. 37), academic background (M= 3.34) health status (M= 3.26), extended family burdens (M= 3.13), listening to TV programmes (M= 3.12), relationship with spouse (M= 2.98) and others. The study recommends that development planners and administrators should ensure organizational type, personnel development and management systems that could promote and foster enabling working environment, improve capability and staff welfare for enhanced performance of extension workers

Factors affecting performance of Facilitators in the Fadama 111 Development Project in Enugu State, Nigeria

The study examined issues associated with the performance of facilitators in Fadama 111 Development Project. All the (68) facilitators in the Fadama 111 Development Project were used. Questionnaire was used for data collection and analysis conducted using descriptive statistics. Majority of the facilitators were females (51.6%) with mean age of 39 years and working experience of 8 years in extension. A greater proportion (64.0%) had degree with specialization in agriculture (50.9%) and social sciences and other disciplines (49.0%). The respondents ranked interaction with supervisors (M= 3.98), methods of human /staff communication (M= 3.56), monitoring and evaluation system (M= 3.32), timeliness of allowance (M=3.22), coordination and supervision techniques used (M= 3.20), provision of training facilities, (M= 3.20) as the first six organizational factors influencing performance. Job- related issues included pressure to increase output/quality of work (M=3.67), Supervisors expectations (M= 3.57), staff mobility (M= 3.52), timeliness of input (M=3.49), inadequate training opportunity (M= 3.28), conflicting orders (M= 3.21) and others. Also employeerelated issues associated with performance of facilitators were involvement in religious activities (M=3. 37), academic background (M= 3.34) health status (M= 3.26), extended family burdens (M= 3.13), listening to TV programmes (M= 3.12), relationship with spouse (M= 2.98) and others. The study recommends that development planners and administrators should ensure organizational type, personnel development and management systems that could promote and foster enabling working environment, improve capability and staff welfare for enhanced performance of extension workers

Gender roles and challenges of village chicken keeping among farmers in Enugu State, Nigeria.

Production of village chickens is largely in the hands of the rural farm families in Enugu State, Nigeria. Local chicken keeping has been neglected by research and development. This affects women more than men, and may further limit the participation of women in village chicken keeping. Gender roles and challenges faced by village chicken farmers in Enugu State, Nigeria were examined. Multistage sampling technique was utilized in selecting 100 respondents. Structured interview schedule and observations were used in collecting the data for the study. Descriptive statistics such as frequency, percentage and mean scores were used in analyzing the data. The majority (93.0%) of the respondents were females. Construction of chicken house was carried out by men; while women were involved in feeding, disease control and marketing of chickens. Perceived challenges to village chicken keeping include: diseases (=2.98), poor growth rate (=2.94), predators (=2.94), high mortality (=2.56), inadequate veterinary services (=2.33) and inadequate extension services (=2.26). Provision of adequate housing facilities and mounting of vaccination and treatment campaigns are essential in reducing mortalities in village chicken.

Prospects of Farmer Field School Extension Approach in Enugu State

The study examined the features of farmer field school in Enugu State. Constraints as well as factors for enhancing its performance were studied. Sixty farmer members of farmer field school representing four out of the six established farmer field schools were randomly selected. Data were collected by use of structured interview schedule and analysis conducted using percentage and means. The mean population of the school was 22 persons, who met monthly (70%) at farmers’ field (91.7%) for learning in areas like production and preservation (100%), integrated pest management (96.7%), agronomic practices (96.7%), ecosystem analysis (95.0%) and others. The respondents perceived that the school was important to them in sharing problems and locally adaptable solutions (M=1.9), acquiring novel farming techniques and skills (M=1.9), enhanced interaction with researchers and extension workers (M=1.6) and improving access to relevant information (M=1.9). However, farmer field school was constrained by factors ranging from poor funding (M=3.0), poor logistic supports (2.2), poor infrastructure (M=2.3), staff mobility (M=2.0) to lack of cooperation and interest of members (M=2.2). The performance of the school could be enhanced through provision of logistic support, adequate funding and access to credits, provision of infrastructure, proper selection and orientation of members, as well as availability and timely access to inputs. The study concludes that agencies should intensify efforts on orientation, training and support to facilitate effective interaction, capacity building/empowerment and farmer-farmer extension