Attitudes and Perception of Corrupt Practices among Public Officials in the Agricultural Sector in Southwestern Nigeria

Corruption constitutes greater challenge threatening the wellbeing of our economy more than other social malaise, yet it has not been a major focus of social research. Attitudes and perception of corrupt practices among public officers in the agricultural sector in southwestern Nigeria was therefore investigated. Multistage sampling procedure was used to select 174 public officers from Agricultural Development Programme (ADP) and Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources (MANR) from Oyo, Ekiti and Osun States. Data was collected using structured questionnaire on respondents’ perception and attitude to different forms of corruption. Data were summarized using frequency counts, percentages, mean and charts. Majority (89.0%) of respondents indicated favourable attitude to influence peddling, patronage (78.0%), pork barreling (70.0%), private use of government resources (65.0%) and bureaucratic conflict of interest (56.0%). At least 50.0% of respondents from each of ADP and MANR showed favourable attitude to corrupt practices. More than half (52.3%) of the respondents had favourable perception of corruption. Majority of the respondents from ADP (52.4%) and MANR (52.2%) indicated a favourable perception of corruption. No significant difference existed in attitude (t=0.954; p>0.05) and perception (t=0.787; p>0.05) of corruption between respondents from the ADP and MANR. A veritable culture of corruption and a high level of tolerance for most forms of corruption prevailed among the public officials in the agricultural sector in southwestern Nigeria. Public orientation using the media and other public enlightenment strategies in order to engender attitudinal change among corrupt public officials should be pursued as a matter of national emergency. Keywords: Perception of corruption, corrupt attitudes, agricultural sector, southwestern Nigeria

Coverage of Corruption News by Major Newspapers in Nigeria

This research arises from the need that conscious effort and attention is needed to curb the negative effects of corruption on socio-economic transformation of the nation and that exploiting the media to expose corrupt practices in sectors of the nation’s economy is the best way in shaping public opinions on the menace of corruption. This study used content analysis to determine the Newspaper coverage of corruption news in the major sectors of the Nigeria economy over a period of 5 years (2006 - 2010). A multi-stage sampling technique was used to select three newspapers namely Tribune, The Nation and Guardian; and a total of nine hundred and thirteen (913) corruption articles generated from the 540 issues were analysed in this study. Data were collected on frequency of coverage, categories of items/stories, prominence, space allotment and depth of treatment of articles on corruption. Descriptive statistics such as frequencies, percentages and means was used to summarise the data collected. Findings revealed that frequency of coverage of corruption articles in year 2010 carries the highest percentage of 23.7% while the Nigerian Tribune ranked first on the coverage of corruption articles with a total number of 381 (41.7%) articles. Overall, prominence was given to inside page articles (87.4%) in all the three newspapers, however, the Guardian newspaper, reported the highest in the front page having 41.7%. Majority (76.7%) of the corruption articles fell in the news category with the Nigerian Tribune having 42.4%. More than half (56.8%) of space allotted to corruption articles is one-quarter page while the Nigeria Tribune recorded highest (61.4%) space allotment of full page. The politics/governance sector ranked first with a total of 522 news items accounting for 57.2% of the whole corruption stories while agriculture, transport and energy sectors occupied the lower rung of the ladder. Also, politics/governance sector had the highest level of prominence with score of 654. Study concluded that Politics/Governance, Service oriented (i.e. telecommunications and banks), and sports sectors are perceived to be more corrupt sectors in Nigeria. Keywords: Corruption news, newspapers, coverage, Nigerian sectors

Perceived Relevance of Cassava Bread Initiative of the Government among Selected Stakeholders in Ekiti State, Nigeria

The need to rethink Nigeria’s food importation burden and consider local content options gave rise to the current initiative of the government on cassava bread production. Policy effectiveness and sustainability however requires that government’s actions and decisions be guided by the interests of stakeholders. Perceived relevance of cassava bread initiative of the government among selected stakeholders in Ekiti State, Nigeria was therefore investigated. Multi-stage sampling procedure was used to select 89 stakeholders comprising of master bakers, consumers and marketers from Ekiti State and data was collected using structured questionnaire on respondents’ awareness, responsiveness and perceived relevance of the initiative. Data was summarised using frequency distribution, mean, percentages, Chi-square, PPMC and ANOVA. Mean age of the respondent was 37 years. About 55.1% had high awareness of government policy on cassava bread. Radio (100%), television (94.4%) and newspaper (87.6%) ranked highest among respondents sources of information on the policy. Majority of stakeholders (master bakers, 63.3%; marketers 82.8%; and consumers, 66.7%) indicated high level of responsiveness to the cassava bread initiative.  While more than half of master bakers (73.3%) and marketers (51.7%) perceived the initiative as relevant, 56.7% of the consumers indicated otherwise. Significant relationship existed between respondents level of education (X2=9.279, p=0.026), awareness (r=0.054, p=0.014) and perceived relevance of the initiative. No significant difference existed in stakeholders’ perception of the relevance of the initiative. Study concluded that the stakeholders are well prepared for full implementation of the cassava bread policy in the study area. Keywords: Cassava bread initiative, government’s policy, perceived relevance, policy responsiveness

Effects of Psaltry Cassava Outgrower Scheme in Enhancing Smallholder Productivity in Oke-Ogun Area of Oyo State, Nigeria

Cassava value addition efforts suffer a serious setback in Nigeria despite huge production potentials due to a weak linkage between producers and processors. Psaltry cassava outgrower scheme thus emerged as a model to facilitate the needed linkage and boost farmers' productivity. The need to understand how the Psaltry model has encouraged increased cassava productivity informed this study on the effects of Psaltry cassava outgrower scheme in enhancing smallholder productivity in Oke-Ogun area of Oyo State, Nigeria.  Pre- and post-intervention combined with treatment and control group designs were used for the study. Data were collected from 232 outgrower and 49 non-outgrower farmers using interview schedules on their socio-economic characteristics, access to agri-support services, change in cassava productivity due to participation in the Psaltry scheme and challenges faced in the scheme. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and regression analysis at α 0.05. Outgrowers were aged 46.5±17.3 years, had 2.8±1.1 years of experience with Psaltry, mostly male (65.9%), belonged to farmers group (96.1%) and had at least primary school education (60.8%). Non-outgrowers had close socio-economic characteristics with outgrowers. Assured markets (90.5%) and training on post-harvest handling of crops (69.9%) were most common among the supports received from Psaltry. Long bureaucratic process involved in documentation (2.23±0.7) ranked as the most severe constraint faced in the scheme. Total cassava harvested and productivity among outgrowers increased from 30,950.89±31,133.48kg to 106,116.88±96,926.01kg and 5,649.2±3835.3kg/Acre to 9,143.6±8799.1 kg/Acre before and after participating in Psaltry scheme, respectively. Productivity was higher among outgrowers (9,143.6±8799.1 kg/Acre) than non-outgrowers (1,047.24±4,789.34kg/Acre). Membership of group (β=0.319) and length of involvement in Psaltry scheme (β=0.157) positively and significantly influenced out-growers change in cassava productivity. Psaltry outgrower scheme had stimulated beneficiary’s smallholder farmers towards higher productivity through assured markets for their cassava produce. A scale-up of the Psaltry model has prospects for transforming smallholder farmers to commercial producers. 

Effects of Psaltry Cassava Outgrower Scheme in Enhancing Smallholder Productivity in Oke-Ogun Area of Oyo State, Nigeria

Cassava value addition efforts suffer a serious setback in Nigeria despite huge production potentials due to a weak linkage between producers and processors. Psaltry cassava outgrower scheme thus emerged as a model to facilitate the needed linkage and boost farmers' productivity. The need to understand how the Psaltry model has encouraged increased cassava productivity informed this study on the effects of Psaltry cassava outgrower scheme in enhancing smallholder productivity in Oke-Ogun area of Oyo State, Nigeria.  Pre- and post-intervention combined with treatment and control group designs were used for the study. Data were collected from 232 outgrower and 49 non-outgrower farmers using interview schedules on their socio-economic characteristics, access to agri-support services, change in cassava productivity due to participation in the Psaltry scheme and challenges faced in the scheme. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and regression analysis at α 0.05. Outgrowers were aged 46.5±17.3 years, had 2.8±1.1 years of experience with Psaltry, mostly male (65.9%), belonged to farmers group (96.1%) and had at least primary school education (60.8%). Non-outgrowers had close socio-economic characteristics with outgrowers. Assured markets (90.5%) and training on post-harvest handling of crops (69.9%) were most common among the supports received from Psaltry. Long bureaucratic process involved in documentation (2.23±0.7) ranked as the most severe constraint faced in the scheme. Total cassava harvested and productivity among outgrowers increased from 30,950.89±31,133.48kg to 106,116.88±96,926.01kg and 5,649.2±3835.3kg/Acre to 9,143.6±8799.1 kg/Acre before and after participating in Psaltry scheme, respectively. Productivity was higher among outgrowers (9,143.6±8799.1 kg/Acre) than non-outgrowers (1,047.24±4,789.34kg/Acre). Membership of group (β=0.319) and length of involvement in Psaltry scheme (β=0.157) positively and significantly influenced out-growers change in cassava productivity. Psaltry outgrower scheme had stimulated beneficiary’s smallholder farmers towards higher productivity through assured markets for their cassava produce. A scale-up of the Psaltry model has prospects for transforming smallholder farmers to commercial producers. 

Effects of Psaltry Cassava Outgrower Scheme in Enhancing Smallholder Productivity in Oke-Ogun Area of Oyo State, Nigeria

Cassava value addition efforts suffer a serious setback in Nigeria despite huge production potentials due to a weak linkage between producers and processors. Psaltry cassava outgrower scheme thus emerged as a model to facilitate the needed linkage and boost farmers' productivity. The need to understand how the Psaltry model has encouraged increased cassava productivity informed this study on the effects of Psaltry cassava outgrower scheme in enhancing smallholder productivity in Oke-Ogun area of Oyo State, Nigeria.  Pre- and post-intervention combined with treatment and control group designs were used for the study. Data were collected from 232 outgrower and 49 non-outgrower farmers using interview schedules on their socio-economic characteristics, access to agri-support services, change in cassava productivity due to participation in the Psaltry scheme and challenges faced in the scheme. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and regression analysis at α 0.05. Outgrowers were aged 46.5±17.3 years, had 2.8±1.1 years of experience with Psaltry, mostly male (65.9%), belonged to farmers group (96.1%) and had at least primary school education (60.8%). Non-outgrowers had close socio-economic characteristics with outgrowers. Assured markets (90.5%) and training on post-harvest handling of crops (69.9%) were most common among the supports received from Psaltry. Long bureaucratic process involved in documentation (2.23±0.7) ranked as the most severe constraint faced in the scheme. Total cassava harvested and productivity among outgrowers increased from 30,950.89±31,133.48kg to 106,116.88±96,926.01kg and 5,649.2±3835.3kg/Acre to 9,143.6±8799.1 kg/Acre before and after participating in Psaltry scheme, respectively. Productivity was higher among outgrowers (9,143.6±8799.1 kg/Acre) than non-outgrowers (1,047.24±4,789.34kg/Acre). Membership of group (β=0.319) and length of involvement in Psaltry scheme (β=0.157) positively and significantly influenced out-growers change in cassava productivity. Psaltry outgrower scheme had stimulated beneficiary’s smallholder farmers towards higher productivity through assured markets for their cassava produce. A scale-up of the Psaltry model has prospects for transforming smallholder farmers to commercial producers. 

Adoption of Improved Variety among Rice Farmers in the Kindia Region of Guinea

This study investigated the adoption characteristics of improved rice variety among rice farmers in the Kindia region of Guinea. A Multistage sampling procedure was used to select 180 rice farmers and a well-structured interview guide was used to elicit information from the respondents. Data were analysed using percentages, mean statistics, standard deviation and Chi-square.  The most adopted rice variety was CK 90 (86.6%).  Factors influencing the adoption of improved rice varieties were market channels (84.9%), membership of associations (91.7%) and contact with extension personnel (85.5%).  Most (97.2%) rice farmers knew about growing improved rice varieties. Most (66.1%) of the respondents had a favourable attitude towards growing improved rice variety but faced constraints like insufficient loan ( = 2.89), weed infestation ( = 2.37), storage losses ( = 2.19) and low extension activities ( = 2.11). The adoption characteristics of respondents were good (88.3%) with economic characteristics having the highest mean ( 2.71). Educational qualification was significantly related (?2 =1.149) to the adoption characteristics of improved variety. Efforts should be made by research institutes to ensure increased access of rice farmers to improved seed varieties with attractive characteristics which could aid its adoption and ensure food security in Guinea

Adoption of Improved Variety among Rice Farmers in the Kindia Region of Guinea

This study investigated the adoption characteristics of improved rice variety among rice farmers in the Kindia region of Guinea. A Multistage sampling procedure was used to select 180 rice farmers and a well-structured interview guide was used to elicit information from the respondents. Data were analysed using percentages, mean statistics, standard deviation and Chi-square.  The most adopted rice variety was CK 90 (86.6%).  Factors influencing the adoption of improved rice varieties were market channels (84.9%), membership of associations (91.7%) and contact with extension personnel (85.5%).  Most (97.2%) rice farmers knew about growing improved rice varieties. Most (66.1%) of the respondents had a favourable attitude towards growing improved rice variety but faced constraints like insufficient loan ( = 2.89), weed infestation ( = 2.37), storage losses ( = 2.19) and low extension activities ( = 2.11). The adoption characteristics of respondents were good (88.3%) with economic characteristics having the highest mean ( 2.71). Educational qualification was significantly related (?2 =1.149) to the adoption characteristics of improved variety. Efforts should be made by research institutes to ensure increased access of rice farmers to improved seed varieties with attractive characteristics which could aid its adoption and ensure food security in Guinea

Supervision response differential by cadre of supervisors among agricultural postgraduate students in southwestern Nigeria

The study investigated supervision response differential by cadre of supervisors among agricultural postgraduate students in southwestern Nigeria. Using structured questionnaire, data was collected from 120 agricultural graduate students across federal universities in southwestern Nigeria through a multi stage sampling procedure. Data was collected on respondents’ personal characteristics, extent of satisfaction with supervision, quality of supervision exposed to, constraints faced in the course of supervision and behavioural response to supervision. Data collected were summarized using descriptive statistics such as frequencies, percentages and means while independent sample t-test was used to test the hypotheses. Mean age of respondents was 32.5+ 6.99years. Half or more of the respondents’ (61.7%) were male, Christians (79.2%), single (50.0%), graduated with second class upper division in their first degrees (59.2%) and were supervised by professors (45.8%). More than half (56.7%) of the respondents indicated high level of satisfaction with their supervision. Students supervised by lecturer cadre supervisors however indicated better extent of satisfaction (66.7%) than others supervised by professors (55.4%) and senior lecturers (54.1%). Quality of supervision received was high among only 56.7% of the respondents. Also, more respondents supervised by supervisors of lecturer cadre (61.1%) indicated high quality of supervision received than supervisees of professors (56.9%) and senior lecturers (54.1%). Furthermore, behavioural change was high among a fair proportion (58.3%) of the respondents. While behavioural change was high among most supervisees of professors (64.6%) and senior lecturers (56.8%), it was however, low among majority (61.1%) of supervisees of lecturer cadre supervisors. Most severe of the constraints faced by supervisees include autocratic supervisors (x̄ =1.55), imposition of research topic (x̄ =1.53) and poor contact with supervisors (x̄ =1.43). Immoral demands from supervisors ranked least among the constraints faced (x̄ =1.09). There was no significant difference in behavioural change observed between students supervised by different cadre of supervisors (F= 1.542 p≤0.05). Thus, while lower cadre supervisors were more responsive to supervisory responsibilities, the higher cadre supervisors impacted more, though marginal behavioural change impart on their supervisees.Keywords: Supervision response, postgraduate students, supervisor, quality of supervision, supervision constraint