Analysis of effects of extension teaching methods on farmers’ level of cassava and maize production in Ogun State, Nigeria

This study analyzed the effects of extension teaching methods used by Ogun State (Nigeria) Agricultural Development Programme’s extension agents on farmers’ level of production in maize and cassava. The sampleincluded 210 randomly selected farmers, comprising adopters and non-adopters of introduced agricultural technologies. The result indicated a high level of awareness and low level of adoption of some essential components of the recommended technologies such as fertilizer andherbicide application. Adopting the technologies is affected by high cost and non-availability of inputs as and when needed. The study also showed that the type of extension teaching methods used by extension agentsor which farmers had access to have varying effects on their levels of production. The use of a combination of individual, group and mass methods of extension teaching had the best association and effect on production output. The study recommended that non-adopters (and lowadopters) should be identified and extension efforts concentrated toward them, essential inputs should be provided at the right time and at affordable prices, organic manure (e.g. compost) should be used as a substitute for fertilizer by farmers where it is unavailable, and that theuse of a combination of extension teaching methods and media by extension agents should be encouraged

A MODIFIED GENERALIZED CHAIN RATIO IN REGRESSION ESTIMATOR

Generalized Chain ratio in regression type estimator is efficient for estimating the population mean. Many authors have derived a Generalized Chain ratio in regression type estimator. However, the computation of its Mean Square Error (MSE) is cumbersome based on the fact that several iterations have to be done, hence the need for a modified generalized chain ratio in regression estimator with lower MSE. This study proposed a modified generalized chain ratio in regression estimator which is less cumbersome in its computation. Two data sets were used in this study. The first data were on tobacco production by tobacco producing countries with yield of tobacco (variable of interest), area of land and production in metric tonnes as the auxiliary variables. The second data were the number of graduating pupils (variable of interest) in Ado-Odo/Ota local government, Ogun state with the number of enrolled pupils in primaries one and five as the auxiliary variables. The mean square errors in the existing and proposed estimators for various values of alpha were derived and relative efficiency was determined. The MSE for the existing estimator of tobacco production gave six values 0.0080, 0.0079, 0.0080, 0.0082, 0.0087 and 0.0093 with 0.0079 as the minimum while the proposed estimator gave 0.0054. The MSEs for the existing estimator for the graduating pupils were 20.73, 11.08, 7.49, 9.96, 18.50 and 33.10 with 7.49 as the minimum while the proposed was 6.52. The results of this study showed that the proposed estimator gave lower MSE for the two data sets, hence it is more efficient.     &nbsp

PARTICIPATION OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES IN AGRICULTURAL ACTIVITIES IN OGUN STATE, NIGERIA

People with disabilities (PLWDs) are generally believed to be incapacitated in all spheres of life endeavours. This study assessed their participation in agricultural activities as well the determinants     affecting their participation. Stratified random sampling technique was used to select 268 respondents from persons who are: physically challenged (PC), with visually impairment (VI), speech impaired (SI) and lepers (L) from a list of registered members of the Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities list in Ogun State. Data collected through interview guide were analysed using descriptive statistics, Chi-square, Pearson's Product Moment Correlation and Binary Logistic Regression. Few (30.6%) of the respondents participated in agricultural activities. The agricultural activities mostly participated by PC were egg production (41.4%), cassava production (31.0%) and free range chicken production(27.6%). Also, persons with PVI engaged in free range chicken (44.0%), cassava (32.0%) and maize (28.0%) productions while lepers were engaged in millet (78.6%), cassava (46.4%) and free range chicken (35.7%) production. Few PC (6.9%) and PVI (16.0%) were engaged in broiler production, while 48.0% percent (PC), 32.0% (VI) and 10.7% (lepers) of the PWDs who participated in agricultural activities had access to extension agents. The binary logistic regression results showed that the determinantswhichsignificantly(p<0.01) influenced PWDs’ likelihood of participation in agricultural activities were access to agricultural training (β = 4.14), access to agricultural inputs (β=3.46), access to agricultural credit or loan (β =2.59),access to assistive technologies (β =3.28)and access to land (β=2.11). The constraints encountered by PWDs participating in agriculture were lack of funds (x̅ = 4.02), inaccessibility to land (x̅ = 3.72), inadequate infrastructure (x̅ = 3.16), inadequate assistive technology (x̅ = 3.05) and negative attitude of people towards PWDs (x̅ = 2.81) as well as negative attitude of people to PWDs (x̅ = 2.81). The study recommended that provision of lands, agricultural trainings, inclusive agricultural extension service delivery, assistive technology and change of negative mindset towards PWDs, may enhance their participation in agricultural activities.   &nbsp

Baker’s Willingness to Utilize High Quality Cassava Flour (Hqcf) for Bread Production: Experience From Ogun State, Nigeria

One of the major reasons for introducing High Quality Cassava Flour (HQCF) inclusion in bread is to reduce its cost of production. The study thus evaluated baker’s willingness to utilize HQCF for bread production in Ogun State. A multi-stage sampling technique was used to elicit information from 187 selected bakers. Results showed that 79.6% of the bakers were male, with a mean age of 39.5 years. The average year of bakery establishment was 10.7 years, with an average bread production period of 5 days per week, mean bread production of 361.0 loaves. Majority, 96.1% of the bakers were willing to utilize HQCF in bread production. In addition, 79.0% of the bakers would accept HQCF if it is readily available and 72.6% were willing to utilize readily mixed HQCF with wheat flour. Pearson Product Moment Correlation revealed a significant relationships (p<0.05) between willingness to utilize and quantity of bread loaves produced per day (r = 0.280); year of bakery establishment (r = 0.253); awareness of cassava inclusion policy (r = -0.273); awareness of potential value of HQCF inclusion in bread production (r = -0.340) and the bakers’ willingness to utilize HQCF. The study concluded that bakers were willing to utilize HQCF for bread production in the study area

Feasibility of Private Integrated Agricultural Extension Services in Ogun State, Nigeria

Agricultural extension service in Nigeria has remained a responsibility of government in the past four decades. However, the persistent poor funding of the extension service has reduced the effectiveness of extension services to farmers. This informedfarmers desireforprivate organizations and religious bodies to assist inproviding services to them, even though this impliesfinancial contributionfrom thefarmers. However, the ability and willingness offarmers to befinancially responsiblefor extension services provided is in doubt. This provided the basisfor the study, which aimed at determining thefeasibility ofprivate integrated agricultural extensfoq services in Ogun State, Nigeria. Data were obtainedfrom 240 small-scale farmers, 61 extension workers/specialists, 10 subject matter specialists and 6 agro-allied industries through the use ofstructured interview schedule and questionnaire. Results ofthe study showed that majority (75.8%) of the farmers were willing to pay for andpatronize private integrated agricultural extension services (PIAES). Farmers (80%) in Ogun State have access to Ogun State Agricultural Development Programme extension service, but still do not have the desired impactfrom the service. Extension specialists/workers and subject matter specialists (93.4%) are willing to establish PIAES in Ogun State. Farmers' access to OGADEP extension service has no significant relationship with their willingness to pay for and patronize PIAES (r=.003, a>.05). Farmers’ access to input service has significant relationship with their willingness to pay for andpatronize PIAES (r=.421, a<.05). Private integrated agricultural extension service is feasible in Ogun State, Nigeria. It is therefore recommended that provision ofinput services should be added to the present extension service provided by OGADEP and experienced extension specialists, workers and subject matter specialists shouldbe encouragedby government and farmers' groups to establish PIAES

Feasibility of Private Integrated Agricultural Extension Services in Ogun State, Nigeria

Agricultural extension service in Nigeria has remained a responsibility of government in the past four decades. However, the persistent poor funding of the extension service has reduced the effectiveness of extension services to farmers. This informedfarmers desireforprivate organizations and religious bodies to assist inproviding services to them, even though this impliesfinancial contributionfrom thefarmers. However, the ability and willingness offarmers to befinancially responsiblefor extension services provided is in doubt. This provided the basisfor the study, which aimed at determining thefeasibility ofprivate integrated agricultural extensfoq services in Ogun State, Nigeria. Data were obtainedfrom 240 small-scale farmers, 61 extension workers/specialists, 10 subject matter specialists and 6 agro-allied industries through the use ofstructured interview schedule and questionnaire. Results ofthe study showed that majority (75.8%) of the farmers were willing to pay for andpatronize private integrated agricultural extension services (PIAES). Farmers (80%) in Ogun State have access to Ogun State Agricultural Development Programme extension service, but still do not have the desired impactfrom the service. Extension specialists/workers and subject matter specialists (93.4%) are willing to establish PIAES in Ogun State. Farmers' access to OGADEP extension service has no significant relationship with their willingness to pay for and patronize PIAES (r=.003, a>.05). Farmers’ access to input service has significant relationship with their willingness to pay for andpatronize PIAES (r=.421, a<.05). Private integrated agricultural extension service is feasible in Ogun State, Nigeria. It is therefore recommended that provision ofinput services should be added to the present extension service provided by OGADEP and experienced extension specialists, workers and subject matter specialists shouldbe encouragedby government and farmers' groups to establish PIAES

Drivers of diversification and pluriactivity among smallholder farmers—evidence from Nigeria

Diversification and pluriactivity have become a norm among farm business owners (FBOs) due to persistent low farm income. This study applies the resource-based theory to examine drivers of diversification and livelihood income-oriented towards a sustainable livelihood. Our framework develops hypotheses about the impact of internal and external resources on livelihood choices at the household level. We use a survey of 480 rural Nigerian farmers (agripreneurs), applying a Multivariate Tobit to test our framework. We find that education plays the most significant role in all types of employment options. The more FBOs are educated, the more the likelihood that they will choose non-farm or wage employment. This study revealed that while the agriculture sector’s share of rural employment is declining, non-farm is on the increase. More so, there is a decline in farming among the young generation, marital status bias and gender influence in resource allocation. The socioeconomic (income and food security) and socio-cultural (employment and rural-urban migration) implications of rural sustainability linked to UN Development Goals have been highlighted and analysed in this article

HERZBERG MOTIVATION - HYGIENE FACTORS AND JOB SATISFACTION OF VILLAGE EXTENSION AGENTS OF OGUN STATE AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME

The aim of the study was to determine the relationship between motivation - hygiene factors and job satisfaction of village extension agents of Ogun State Agricultural Development Programme (OGADEP). In addition, the study focused on the order of importance of specific motivation and hygiene factors and the level of job satisf action, motivation and maintenance (hygiene factors) of the VEAs. Findings indicate significant relationships between motivation- hygiene factors and job satisfaction. The most important motivation factors are opportunity for promotion and growth, and opportunity for more training and development. The most preferred specific hygiene factors include attractive salary and good working conditions