Journal of Rural Development

Rashid S. Adisa ¹, Babatunde M. Matanmi ¹, A. Mohammed-lawal ¹

Affiliations
1 University of Ilorin, NG

Abstract

The inability of public extension service system to adequately respond to the challenges of agricultural development and modernisation in Nigeria calls for alternative systems, including commercialisation of extension service. Because of their strategically significant role in national food production and farm family systems, this paper studied the perceptions of women on commercialisation of extension service in Kwara State. A four-stage systematic random sampling technique was used to select 230 respondents, while a structured questionnaire was used in data elicitation. The questionnaire also consisted of ten positively presented perceptions of commercialisation on a 5-point Likert-type scale that was used to calculate Extension Commercialisation Perception Coefficient (ECPC) for each respondent. Data analysis revealed that respondents were generally negatively disposed to commercialisation (̅x=2.69). Furthermore, most respondents believed that farmers should be encouraged to support commercialisation (̅x=4.35) and that charges, if at all, should be based on farming income (̅x=4.40). Correlation analysis showed that education (r=.644, p=.002), farming income (r=.754, p.=.005), and farm size (r=.776, p=.013) were positively significant correlates of ECPC among respondents. Also significant were income and size of personal farm. It is thus imperative that any form of commercialisation of extension service be preceded by farmer empowerment and proper orientation to ensure widespread acceptability.

Full Text

   

Rashid S. Adisa ¹, Bakare A. Ayolo ¹, Abdulrazak K. Musa ², Mujidat T. Lawal ², Waliyat O. Oloyede ³, Kayode S. Balogun ¹

Affiliations
1 Department of Agricultural Extension and Rural Development, University of Ilorin, Ilorin, NG
2 Department of Crop Protection, University of Ilorin, Ilorin, NG
3 Department of Agricultural Economics and Farm Management, University of Ilorin, Ilorin, NG

Abstract

The study assessed the utilisation of leguminous crop wastes by farmers in Ekiti State, Nigeria. A structured questionnaire was administered to 120 farmers who were randomly selected from 12 communities using multistage random sampling procedure. Findings revealed that 68.3 per cent of the respondents were male. The average age of the respondents was 53 years. Majority (71.3 per cent) had formal education and 65.0 per cent had farming experience of more than 10 years. The findings also revealed that among the three leguminous crops examined, only husks (50.0 per cent), haulms (48.3 per cent) and vines (35.0 per cent) were fairly utilised. Major areas of utilisation include fodder preparation (66.7 per cent), erosion control (65.0 per cent) and composting (48.3 per cent). The perceived benefits of enriching the soil (x=4.52) and as important feeds for livestock (x=4.42) were ranked 1st and 2nd, respectively. Perception of farmers on the introduction of leguminous crop waste conversion technology as a good idea (X=4.12), as technology will generate more income (x=3.50) and as technologies are reliable (X=3.35) were rated 1st, 2nd, and 3rd, respectively. Hypothesis testing revealed that farm size (r=0.232, p=0.011) and farming experience (r=0.180, p=0.049) were positively and significantly related to the extent of utilisation of leguminous crop wastes by farmers at 0.05 level of significance. It is concluded that farmers use leguminous crop wastes but do not maximise the full potential of these wastes as they only have the traditional knowledge of their usage. Suitable technologies on leguminous crop waste conversion should be made available to farmers at affordable rates to enhance adoption for better results.

Keywords

Legumes, Crop Wastes, Utilisation, Selected Communities, Ekiti State, Nigeria.

Full Text