Adoption of agricultural entrepreneurship skills among arable crop farmers in Kwara State, Nigeria

This study analysed the adoption of Agricultural entrepreneurial skills among arable crop Farmers in Kwara State. Specifically, it described the socio-economic characteristics of the farmers; examined the level of adoption of the skills disseminated; assessed the perceived effect of the adopted Agricultural entrepreneurial skills, and identified constraints to the adoption of the skills. A four-stage sampling procedure produced 165 arable crop Farmers on whom an interview schedule was administered. Data collected were analysed using descriptive statistics and the Pearson’s Product Moment Correlation. The results show that the respondents’ mean age, household size, farm size and years of farming experience were 45 years, seven persons, 2.72ha, and 20 years respectively. The level of adoption was low (45%), and significantly influenced by age (r=-0.323), household size (r= 0.306), level of education (r=0.255), frequency of extension visits (0.599) and membership of farmer-groups (0.485) at P<0.05. Inadequate access to inputs, markets, and start-up capital were the most severe challenges faced by the farmers. The study concluded that the level of adoption of the skills was low and influenced by some socio-economic characteristics of the farmers. It is recommended that stakeholders in the rural development processes should explore a multidimensional approach to resolve the identified challenges. The frequency of extension visit should be increased, and farmer-groups strengthened to play more visible roles in extension.Keywords: Agricultural entrepreneurship, Skills, Adoption, Arable crops, Agricultural Development Projec

Extent of Extension Service Delivery for Agro-pastoralists in Niger State,Nigeria

The study examines the extent of agricultural extension services deleivery to agro-pastoralists in Niger State. Nigeria. Primary data were collected through field survey from agropastorialist from three purposely selected Local Government Areas in Niger State. Katcha, Paiko and Wushishi LGA’s were purposely selected by making sure they were in different agricultural zones of the Niger State namely Zone I, II and III respectively. Twenty percent of the agropastoralists house-hold population was sampled from each of three LGA randomly. A total of 210 household heads were sampled and interviewed using a semi structured survey instrument administered by trained enumerators who understood the local language. Both descriptive and inferential statistics were employed to analyse the data. Results revealed that all (100%) of the household heads were all males and 67.7% acquired adult education while agro-pastoralism was the major occupation (98.1%). Majority (98.1%) of the agro-pastoralists claimed they were of Fulani ethnic group. Information on out break of diseases (mean=3.9); provision of grazing reserves (mean=3.7) were reported high. Majority (99.5%) of the respondents opined that lack of easy access to vaccines and non- proximity of veterinary clinic were major constraints. In the testing of hypotheses, Pearson Product Moment Correlation (PPMC) showed a significant positive relationship between extent of extension service provision and the following variables namely Age (r =0.172; p<0.05), number of wives (r =0.163; p<0.05), number of children (r =0.222 and; p<0.05), and number of cows owned (r =0.221; p<0.05).  The result of Chi-square analysis shows that there was a significant relationship between Extent of extension provision and the settlement type (X2 =10.21; p<0.05), Extent of extension provision and educational level (X2 =12.20;p<0.05). It was recommended that government should make adequate arrangement for provision of neccessary infra-structure in the already gazzeted grazing reserve most especially vetinery clinics and make vaccine available and affordable for them. There is need to produce more radio programmes and also encourage formation of radio listening group since is one of the major source of information to their production system. Keywords: Agriculture, Extension service delivery, agropastoralist

An assessment of farmers' knowledge of yam entrepreneurial skills in Ekiti State, Nigeria

Abstract. This study assessed the farmers' knowledge of yam entrepreneurial skills in Ekiti State, Nigeria. Two-stage random sampling procedure was used to select 580 respondents. Questionnaire was used to collect data. Both descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyse the data collected. Findings show that the majority of the respondents had access to yam entrepreneurial business training/seminar (75.5%), sources of information through agricultural extension agents (86.2%), radio (83.3%) and fellow farmers (79.5%), non-member of any crop related enterprise group (66.2%). The overall farmers' knowledge of yam entrepreneurial skills was low among the majority (62.6%). Specifically, the knowledge level of respondents on cultivation skills (X=67.0) was high while managements skills (X=39.5), co-operation/networking (X=29.3), customer/marketing skills (X=27.1) and opportunity skills (X=21.3) of respondents were considered low. It was, therefore, concluded that farmers’ knowledge of yam entrepreneurial skills was low. Agri entrepreneurship training in management skills, opportunity skills, customer and marketing skills, cooperation and networking skills is recommended and encouraging the less educated yam- based entrepreneurs to participate in the agri-entrepreneurship capacity building training

Factors motivating incentives of farm ers in rice Production training programmes (A case study of Olam/USAID/ADP/First Bank Programme)

The study examined motivating incentives of farmers in rice production training of OLAM/USAID/ADP/FIRST BANK in Kwara State. Data were obtained randomly from Patigi and Edu Local Government Areas , with the use of questionnaires from 180 respondents. The data collected were analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences. The results showed that respondents were predominantly male, married, educated, with mean age of 43 years. The result indicated that farmers in the study received incenti ves ranging from loan to farm inputs, nevertheless, farmers still desire other incentives namely; tractor services, irrigation facilities, planters, sprayers and storage facilities . Moreover, the findings showed that the mean ratings of the motivational f actors scored friendship factor first with mean of (2.711) and standard deviation of (1.351) followed by self recognition, followed by market availability, equipment acquisition and profitability. Additional test using Pearson Correlation matrix revealed that , improving the standard of living of farmers , adding to their knowledge , profitability of their farming activities, meeting their personal needs , market availability for their produce, giving them loans, and providing them equipment were the m ost important and s ignificant factors when organizing training for farmers. It is recommended that programme planner and trainer should recognize the importance of all these factors during planning of programme. Finally , regression analysis showed that t he farmers farm size, farmer ownership status, levels of awareness among farmers , extension a gent contact with farmers and their sources of information may affect the motivation levels of farmer. Key words : participation, motivation, training, programme incentives , rice productio

Astudy on entrepreneurship skill practices among rural women in Kwara state, Nigeria

Abstract. The study examined the entrepreneurial skill practices of rural women in Kwara State, Nigeria. A total of 147 respondents were selected. Primary data were collected with the use of questionnaire. Both descriptive and inferential statistics were employed for the study. Mean age of respondents was 38.5 years. The average entrepreneurship experience was 11 years. The most prominent enterprises undertaken by respondents were garri processing (83.7%), corn milling (82.3%), soap making (82.3%), livestock production (81.6%), selling of provision/petty trade (80.3%), grinding pepper (78.2%), tailoring (76.9%), selling of pepper (71.4%), and poultry farming (64.6%). Commonly practiced entrepreneurial skills were communication skills (74.1%), creative thinking skills (72.8%), time management skills (70.1%), decision making and risk management skills (68.0%) and organizational management (61.2%). Most indicated constraints faced were high interest on loan (70.8%), poor road structure (67.3%), high cost of input (66.0%), lack of storage facilities (63.9), poor electricity supply (62.0%), lack of production materials (61.2%) and environmental factors (60.5%). Findings also show that age, marital status, household size and years of experience of respondents had positive significant influence on entrepreneurial skills practised at p<0.01 level of significance. The study concluded that communication skills, creative thinking skills, and time management skills were most practised by rural women entrepreneurs in Kwara State. The study recommends the need for rural women entrepreneurs to form strong credit cooperative society in other to empower themselves financially as well as easy procurement of inputs at cheaper rate

EFFECTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE ON POULTRY PRODUCTION IN ONDO STATE, NIGERIA

The study assesses the effects of climate change on poultry production in Ondo State, Nigeria. Eighty three (83) poultry farmers were interviewed to elicit relevant information in line with the objectives of the study. Descriptive statistics and inferential statistical tools were used for data analysis. Findings revealed that majority (93.3%) of the respondents are aware of climate change, 78%, 98.8% and 86.7% of the respondents agreed that temperature fluctuation, increased in sunshine intensity and global warming has a negative effects on poultry production, 72.4% of the respondents agreed that prices of feed grains are usually high in hot and dry seasons which may affect cost of production and number of birds to raise for egg and meat production in the farm, 73.5% of the respondents agreed that climate change has effect on feed grain availability, this implies that high temperature and low rainfall are climatic factors that affect general grain harvest, their supply to the market and ultimately cost of poultry production. the findings further revealed that 94% of the respondents agreed that climate change affects egg and meat production pattern and 95.2% of the respondents agreed that moist climatic conditions encouraged the distribution and development of diseases. Infrential statistics shows that there is a significant relationship between respondents' socio-economic characteristics and perception of poultry farmers on effects of climate change on poultry production since p > 0.05 (r = 0.454, p= 0.001), the findings also shows that there is a significant relationship between socio-economic characteristics of respondents and their level of awareness of climate change since the p > 0.05 (r = 0.652, p = 0.001). it is recomended extension agents and other development agencies need to educate the poultry farmers more about the effects posed by climate change on poultry production and intensify awareness campaign to poultry farmers on how to reduce the effects of climate change on poultry production

An analysis of activities of bee hunters and beekeepers in Oyo State, Nigeria.

The study compared the socio-economic characteristics of bee hunters and beekeepers. It also compared the bee sting prevention techniques and problems the two categories of bee farmers encountered in bee farming. The population for the study is made up of both bee hunters and beekeepers. A snowball technique was used to select the bee hunters as there was no official record while the list of beekeepers was obtained from beekeepers association. A total of fifty respondents were selected for the study consisting of 20 bee hunters and 30 beekeepers. An interview schedule was used in collecting data from the bee hunters since it was assumed that majority of them might not be able to read and write, while a questionnaire was used in gathering information from the beekeepers since it was believed that they were literates. The finding of the study showed that 76.7% of beekeepers are below 51 years of age, while 30% of the bee hunters’ fall within this age category, majority (90%) of the two categories of bee farmers was male. The beekeepers have higher education than bee hunters. About 75.0% of bee hunters used no prevention methods against bee sting while 100.0% of the beekeepers used bees dress/suit. About 60% of the bee hunters cited sting as problem they encountered while 46.7% of the beekeepers cited inadequate working space. Also, the keepers had better yields and made more income than the bee hunters. Since majority of bee hunters did not make use of bee sting prevention methods while beekeepers made use of bee dress, bee hunters should be trained of the importance of using bee sting prevention methods and should also be encouraged to have their own farms and move from being a bee hunter to beekeeper.KEY WORDS: Bee hunters, Beekeepers, Hives, Honey

Assessment of the usage of social media among agricultural extension workers in Kwara State, Nigeria

The study assessed the usage of social media among agricultural extension workers in Kwara State, Nigeria; structured questionnaire was used to obtain data. Descriptive statistics such as frequency, percentages and mean were used while chi-square was used to test the stated hypothesis. Findings revealed that (77.5%) of the respondents were males, they fall between age categories 24-30 (33.3%) and 31-40 (48.4%), majority (82.5%) were married and 43.3% are B.Sc holders having 1-10 years of extension experience. There is a moderate level of usage of social media in the study area. The relationships between the socio-economic characteristics of the respondents and the usage of social media revealed that age (x2=80.250, p=0.000) marital status (x2=135.050, p=0.000), level of education (x2=32.333, p=0.000), years of extension experience (x2=112.000, p=0.000 and salary received per month (x2=137.833, p=0.000) were significant with the level of usage of social media. It is recommended that the extension workers should be paid befitting salaries to boost their morale and encouraged to open multiple social media accounts, to take advantage of the benefits provided by social media to improve their knowledge level and finally, the Government should put more efforts in power generation and distribution to improve the power situation in the country in order to make for beneficial use of social media among extension workers.Keywords: Social media, Usage, Extension workers, ICT, KWADP, Assessmen