Training Programmes Can Change Behaviour and Encourage the Cultivation of Over-Harvested Plant Species

Cultivation of wild-harvested plant species has been proposed as a way of reducing over-exploitation of wild populations but lack of technical knowledge is thought to be a barrier preventing people from cultivating a new species. Training programmes are therefore used to increase technical knowledge to encourage people to adopt cultivation. We assessed the impact of a training programme aiming to encourage cultivation of xaté (Chamaedorea ernesti-augusti), an over-harvested palm from Central America. Five years after the training programme ended, we surveyed untrained and trained individuals focusing on four potential predictors of behaviour: technical knowledge, attitudes (what individuals think about a behaviour), subjective norms (what individuals perceive others to think of a behaviour) and perceived behavioural control (self assessment of whether individuals can enact the behaviour successfully). Whilst accounting for socioeconomic variables, we investigate the influence of training upon these behavioural predictors and examine the factors that determine whether people adopt cultivation of a novel species. Those who had been trained had higher levels of technical knowledge about xaté cultivation and higher belief in their ability to cultivate it while training was not associated with differences in attitudes or subjective norms. Technical knowledge and perceived behavioural control (along with socio-economic variables such as forest ownership and age) were predictors of whether individuals cultivate xaté. We suggest that training programmes can have a long lasting effect on individuals and can change behaviour. However, in many situations other barriers to cultivation, such as access to seeds or appropriate markets, will need to be addressed

Funding of Agricultural Extension in A Democratic and Deregulated Economy: The Cost Sharing Approach

In Nigeria, the most difficult andchallengingpolicy issuefacing the agricultural extension service today is to secure a stable source offunding. This is because of a progressive decline infinancial supportfor extension as a result of the fiercer competitionfor resourcesfrom the national budget among the different sectors, with the effect that the quality of publicly provided services has suffered. This paper explores a demand-driven agricultural technology transfer strategy through the cost sharing approach as an alternative means offunding agricultural extension service delivery in Nigeria. The paper concludes that with the notorious imreliability of governmentfunding, chargingfarmers a nominal sumfor services would not only encourage them to exercise their rights as information consumers but cm also increase the voice offarmers in the mmagement oftechnology transfer, thereby ensuringprogramme effectiveness

Funding of Agricultural Extension in A Democratic and Deregulated Economy: The Cost Sharing Approach

In Nigeria, the most difficult andchallengingpolicy issuefacing the agricultural extension service today is to secure a stable source offunding. This is because of a progressive decline infinancial supportfor extension as a result of the fiercer competitionfor resourcesfrom the national budget among the different sectors, with the effect that the quality of publicly provided services has suffered. This paper explores a demand-driven agricultural technology transfer strategy through the cost sharing approach as an alternative means offunding agricultural extension service delivery in Nigeria. The paper concludes that with the notorious imreliability of governmentfunding, chargingfarmers a nominal sumfor services would not only encourage them to exercise their rights as information consumers but cm also increase the voice offarmers in the mmagement oftechnology transfer, thereby ensuringprogramme effectiveness

Cost-sharing of agricultural technology transfer in Nigeria: perceptions of farmers and extension professionals

Cost-sharing, which involves government-farmer partnership in the funding of agricultural extension service, is one of the reforms aimed at achieving sustainable funding for extension systems. This study examined the perceptions of farmers and extension professionals on this reform agenda in Nigeria. The study was carried out in six geopolitical zones of Nigeria. A multi-stage random sampling technique was applied in the selection of respondents. A sample size of 268 farmers and 272 Agricultural Development Programme (ADP) extension professionals participated in the study. Both descriptive and inferential statistics were used in analysing the data generated from this research. The results show that majority of farmers (80.6%) and extension professionals (85.7%) had favourable perceptions towards cost-sharing. Furthermore, the overall difference in their perceptions was not significant (t =0.03). The study concludes that the strong favourable perception held by the respondents is a pointer towards acceptance of the reform. It therefore recommends that government, extension administrators and policymakers should design and formulate effective strategies and regulations for the introduction and use of cost-sharing as an alternative approach to financing agricultural technology transfer in Nigeria

Does the End Use of Remittance Matter? - A Macro Simulation of the Nigerian Economy

International remittance has changed the landscape of international migration from brain drain to brain circulation; and provided the developing countries the opportunity to raise alternative sources of consumption and investment financing. However, the tendency that remittances will be poverty-reducing as well as growth-financing depends on its end use, particularly in import-dependent economies. The importance of focusing attention on the use of remittances is to checkmate early signs of another round of potential Dutch Diseases Syndrome which bedeviled the Nigeria’s oil sector from occurring in remittance. Macro-econometric model with six behavioral equations and six identities where used to estimate and simulate the effects of remittances inflow on aggregate demand in Nigeria. The simulation result shows that the much touted poverty-reducing effect of remittances is non-growth-financing for import-dependent country like Nigeria because of its negative impact on current account balance; despite its positive effects on private consumption and investment. Keywords: Nigeria, remittance, consumption, investment, import demand, macroeconometric mode