Assessing the Influence of Extension Delivery on the Perceived Effectiveness of Improved Cassava Production Technologies in Osun State, Nigeria

Extension support is essential for effective delivery of improved agricultural technologies. This study investigated the effectiveness of improved cassava production technologies and the requisite of extension delivery on it in Osun State, Nigeria. Specifically, the study identified the improved cassava production technologies disseminated to farmers. All the fifty extension personnel in the State Agricultural Development Project (ADP) were purposively interviewed. Data were summarized with frequency counts, percentages and means. Correlation coefficient was used for hypothesis testing. Result show that the following extension services were offered to famers in the study area: extension services, fertilizer procurement, agrochemicals, cooperative facilities, social networks, tractor hiring services, credit facilities, improved planting materials and marketing. The mean age of Extension Agents (EAs) was 44±7.11. About 84% of the Extension Agents were males while 16% were females. All the EAs had post-secondary education, while 92% of them had spent more than 10 years on the job. The mean fortnightly session training attendance was 18.22 ±8.93 over the past one year. The extension contact with farmers was low. Almost 89% of the EAs claimed to have disseminated all the cassava production technologies to farmers. Also, a positive and significant association existed between effectiveness of the improved technologies and EAs’ years of experience (r = 0.303; p<0.05) and the number of training had with farmers (r = 0.323; p<0.05). It was recommended that Extension Agents’ training and retraining programmes should be intensified so as to ensure effectiveness of improved cassava technologies

Factors influencing involvement of peri-urban farmers in mini-livestock farming in south-western Nigeria

The study focused on factors influencing involvement of peri-urban farmers in mini-livestock farming in South-Western Nigeria. Specifically, the peri-urban farmers’ socio-economic characteristics were described, their level of involvement in rearing mini-livestock were determined and constraint associated with mini-livestock farming were examined. 182 respondents were interviewed through the use of structured interview schedule and Focus Group Discussions (FGDs). Data analysis was carried out using frequency counts, percentage, and factor analysis. The results of the study showed that more males were involved in mini-livestock rearing than females, while the mean age of a farmer was 46 years. Majorities were literate and information sourced from fellow farmers was most common and reliable source of information accessible by the respondents, while there was low extension contact. Problems confronting the respondents include inadequate credit facilities, untimely supply of inputs, improper management skill and low extension contacts. Results of the factor analysis revealed eleven factors which contributed to farmers’ involvement in mini-livestock farming. These include community influence, farmland acquisition, characteristics of mini-livestock, personality factor, and economic status. Other factors were capacity building, household composition, Contents lists available at Sjournals Journal homepage: www.Sjournals.com Original article S.I. Ogunjimi et al. / Scientific Journal of Review (2012) 1(3) 58-69 59 external orientation, farm characteristics, social group orientation and communication tool. The study concluded that policy making on mini-livestock development should focus at enhancing the socio-economic status of peri-urban farmers through improved to access to credit facilities and capacity building through training on improved management practice. This could have a profound influence on increased production, sustainable livelihood and alleviation of poverty among the populace

An Assessment of Cassava Processing Plants in Irepodun Local Government Areas, Kwara State, Nigeria

An assessment of cassava processing plant was conducted in Irepodun local Government Area of Kwara State, Nigeria to evaluate different cassava processing machinery being used by the processors, the common machines, and costs of machines, type of prime movers and sex of machine operators. The study was carried out in five communities and five cassava processing centres were selected from each of the community to give a total of twenty–five processing centres. Many of the processing centres were owned by private individuals. 292 cassava processing machines were observed altogether during the study and most of these were obsolete equipment. Grating machine, dewatering machine and milling machines were more prominent in the Local Government. The diesel engine was the only prime mover in all visited centres. Cassava processors preferred diesel despite its high cost, this may be as a result of incessant petrol scarcity and constant absence of electricity supply from Power Holding Company of Nigeria. This assessment showed that inappropriate and unaffordable cassava processing machinery is responsible for low level of cassava processing and utilization in Nigeria which is the largest cassava producer

Agrosearch (2014) Volume 14(2):144-153 http://dx.doi.org/10.4314/agrosh.v14i2.5 FARMERS’PERCEPTION ON THE STRATEGIES FOR INCREASING TOMATO PRODUCTION IN KABBA-BUNU LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF KOGI STATE, NIGERIA

The study was carried out in Kabba-Bunu Local Government Area (LGA) of Kogi State, Nigeria in the year 2013 to assess the farmers’ perception on the strategies for increasing tomato production in the LGA; an area that has potential to produce tomato on commercial level. The objectives of the study were to identify the cultural and agronomic practices considered to boost yield, identify farm inputs, training needs and credit facilities necessary for increasing production of tomato. Ninety tomato farmers were interviewed through the use of structured interview schedule and data analysis was carried out using frequencies, percentages, mean and standard deviation and inferential statistics such as correlation. Results showed that more females than males were involved in tomato production in the study area, while mean age of farmers was 45.6±14.7years. The results of the study also showed that adequate and timely preparation of land, use of improved seeds and fertilizer, irrigation facilities during dry season, prompt access to credit facilities among others were perceived as necessary strategies for increasing tomato production. The correlation results showed positive and significant relationship between socio-economic characteristics of tomato farmers such as level of education(r=0.408), extension contact (r=0.398) and income from tomato production (r= 0.334) and strategies adopted for increased in tomato production (P≤ 0.01). The study therefore recommended the need for the provision of adequate training, necessary incentives, provision of infrastructural facilitates and improved variety of tomato to farmers as a panacea for sustainable and commercial production of tomato in the area of study

Assessment of Extension Service Delivery on Improved Cassava Technologies Among Cassava Farmers in Osun State, Nigeria

Extension service delivery is too often merely seen as a vehicle for spreading scientific and technical progress and technology transfer. In the real sense, however, dissemination of knowledge is not a one way affair from scientists to producers. The study was conducted to assess extension service delivery on improved cassava production technologies among cassava farmers in Osun State, Nigeria. Multistage sampling procedure was employed in the selection of 312 cassava farmers. Data were summarized with frequency counts, percentages, mean and correlation coefficient. Results showed that the extension services offered to famers in the study area included fertilizer procurement, agrochemicals, cooperative facilities, social networks, tractor hiring services, credit facilities, improved planting materials and marketing. The mean age of the cassava farmers was 50.57 years; majority (90%) of whom were males and married (95%) with mean cassava farm size of 3.12 hectares and mean cassava sales income of N56, 333 per annum. Almost three-quarters of the respondents (72%) expended less than N15, 000 on adopted improved technologies. The mean percentage awareness of the technologies by farmers was high while farmers had medium level of usage. The level of satisfaction of farmers with the services provided by the extension agency was medium and extension/advisory service was the most satisfactory of the extension services delivered to cassava farmers. It is therefore recommended that efficient extension services should be rendered by competent extension agents who are under continuous training and retraining programmes and continuously supported by a dynamic system of monitoring and evaluation and good government policy.Key words: Agrochemicals, advisory services, awareness, extension agents, satisfactio

Assessing the Knowledge Level of Beekeepers on Improved Beekeeping Management Practices in Peri-Urban Areas of Southwestern Nigeria

The study was conducted to assess beekeepers’ knowledge of improved management practices in peri-urban areas of southwestern Nigeria. A multistage sampling procedure was employed to select 90 respondents from the study area. Results show that beekeepers in southwestern Nigeria had inadequate knowledge of improved beekeeping management practices, which resulted in low skill in most of the practices. Most of the beekeepers encountered problems ranging from inadequate skill, drought, honeybee pests and diseases, and death of the colony. The authors recommend that farmers be well-trained in improved management practices so as to enhance food security

The Alice Collaboration

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