THE EFFECTS OF AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION ON POVERTY REDUCTION AMONG RURAL CASSAVA FARMERS IN UYO AGRICULTURAL ZONE AKWA IBOM STATE

Abstract

This study was on the effects of agricultural extension on poverty reduction among rural cassava farmers in Uyo agricultural zone Akwa Ibom state. Four objectives were raised which included: Determine the factors influencing cassava production in Uyo agricultural zone, determine the information disseminated to farmers by agricultural extension agents in uyo agricultural zone of Akwa ibom State, determine the benefits derived by cassava farmers from agricultural extension service delivery in uyo agricultural zone of Akwa ibom state and determine the socio-economic characteristics of cassava farmers in Uyo agricultural zone of Akwai bom State. The total population for the study is 75 selected staffs of extension workers in Uyo agricultural zone in Akwa Ibom state. The researcher used questionnaires as the instrument for the data collection. Descriptive Survey research design was adopted for this study. The data collected were presented in tables and analyzed using simple percentages and frequencies. The study recommended that Efforts should be employed to promote and improve the cultivation of cassava through intensified extension services which should be made accessible to farmers since cassava production is a veritable tool in alleviating poverty

Chapter one

Introduction

1.1Background of the study

In many developing countries in the world, agricultural growth is very crucial for reduction of poverty since most of the people derive their livelihood from agricultural activities which include growing of crops and rearing of animal. For agricultural production to be optimal, there is need for agricultural extension services. Agricultural extension service refers to a set of organization that support people engaged in agricultural production and facilitate their efforts to solve problems, link to markets and otherplayersintheagriculturalvaluechain;andobtaininformation,skills,andtechnologiestoimprove their livelihood (Kristin,2009). Agricultural extension services are used to serve as a channel for conveying and educating farmers on the new agricultural policies and practices (Nwaobiala,2017). Furthermore, agricultural extension service is among the most common mechanisms of transferring information, knowledge and skills to farmers as support to apply the information, knowledge and skills to the real world of work (Lee,An&Kim,2017). The primary objectives of agricultural extension service include: providing information and educating farmers on how to apply core principles of improved technologies to farm practices. Agricultural extension services play a significant role in promoting the adoption of new technologies and innovation through communication with farmers and educating them to improve their attitude, knowledge and skills (Lawal,Torimiro&Makanjuola,2009). Information is key to improved agricultural production and it is the rationale for extension service delivery. Agricultural extension has often been conceptualized as an education process, which promotes learning. It uses the combined findings of biological sciences and the principles of social science to bring about changes in knowledge, skill attitude and practices in and out of school setting (Ileubaoje2004). Eremie(2005) postulated that an agricultural extension services has a lot play in ensuring that Nigeria achieves the million development goals. It was these perceived important roles of agricultural extension that informed the establishment of the poverty reduction programme (PRPs). With there organization and strengthening of the extension agent of the PRPS, along training and visits line in 2006, a number of activities were initiated so as to ensure that the seven features of the trainings and visits are implemented. These have led to a change in the roles performed by the extension workers thereby resulting in some level of satisfaction among both extension workers and their clients (Ajuwon2006). It is also worth noting that despite the tremendous achievements of the agricultural sector in Nigeria, the PRPS have been besotted by Amy raid   of problems, especially with the terminal end of the counterpart funding by the World Bank. These problems range from the Non availability of facilities necessary for effective implementation and functioning of extension workers to poorly motivated staff resulting in low morale, low level of role perception and poor performance of extension workers (Banmeke and  Ajayi 2005) Chikwenduetal, (2007) noted that in recent years, there have been indications of in effectiveness in the extension agent of the PRPS. The goal of every manager is to increase production  and efficiency to obtain maximum result for the organization motivation for better performance depends on job satisfaction, achievement, recognition and professional growth (Adeniyi,2001). The rural area is the predominant food and fibre producing sector of the Nigeria society and all natural resources which constitute the wealth of a nation are obtained of the rural areas. The importance of the rural in Nigeria also is in the mere fact that over 70% of the people live and derive their livelihood from there. The state of the rural areas in Nigeria’s is determined by a combination of methods which include available social, physical and institutional infrastructures as well as the people’s level of living including their levels of perceived deprivation and satisfaction with current level of living. The rural areas in Nigeria is characterized by lack of public infrastructure, sub-standard education, poor health services and low agricultural productivity leading to poor standard of living for the majority. The agricultural extension agent in recent years has however played a significant role in improving agricultural production in Nigeria through advisory agent and adequate access to information on improved techniques of production agricultural extension plays a pivotal role in ensuring the awareness and subsequent adoption of the contemporary methods of agricultural management various extension teaching methods have been employed to make sure that the technologies get to the end users prominent among there is the training and visit system of the poverty reduction. The central principle or idea of the extension strategy is to produce competent and well-informed extension agents who will frequently and regularly visit farmers with relevant technical messages and bring farmers problems to research. The system of extension entails that each extension agent is required to regularly visit the farmers/ farmer’s group with relevant messages that are specific to the farm practices taking place in the field at that point in time. Feedback is also taken by the extension agents from farmers to the research station. The extension agent operates from the back drop belief that increased agricultural productivity depends primarily upon acceptance of improved cultural and technological change at the rural farm level and that peasant farmers can achieve improved production only if they adopt recommended to agricultural practices in place of traditional. Successful adoption of improved agricultural practices is predicated upon rural farmer’s acquiring required knowledge and understanding of these technologies. This will improve productivity and raise the living standards of the farmers who are the beneficences of the agent (Lawal, Bodo Toriminobia Makanjuola (2006) the efficiency of technologies generated and disseminated however, depends on effective adoption of the technologies by the end-users.

1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

The population of Nigeria is increasing very rapidly and there is food insecurity since most of the farmers in Nigeria today are peasant farmers and most of the mare illiterates that live in rural communities. These are trends which affect their agricultural production. Some of the farmers do not adapt to new farming practices since they rely on obsolete farming practices which do not exploit their full potentials. Research institutes such as National Root Crop Research Institute (NRCRI) Umudike and International Institute for Tropical Agriculture (IITA) Ibadan are saddled with the responsibilities of developing improved varieties of crop such as cassava and improved methods of farming. New farm practices from the research institutes do not reach farmers on time due to poor linkage between extension agents and farmers. Cassava farmers in Nigeria are not provided financial support by government or highly placed individuals in the society to improve their farming practices. The failure of the various extension delivery approaches in developing counties to effectively engineer significant and sustainable agricultural growth has become a major concern to all stakeholders, including the donor community. The concerns have been fueled lately by the wave of pluralism, market liberalization and globalizations weeping across the world and giving rise to initiatives that will enhance efficiency and effectiveness of not only the sub-components of extension delivery but the entire system of technology generation, dissemination and use. With a rapidly expanding population, environmental degradation, political instability, economies failure and the declining budget, re-thinking the way agricultural technology is delivered to farmers has become necessary. This re-thinking engineered the researcher to investigate the effects of agricultural extension in the reduction of poverty among rural cassava farmers in uyo Agricultural zone of Akwa ibom state.

1.3 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

The main purpose of this study is to investigate the effects played by agricultural extension in the development of agriculture and how it affects poverty reduction among rural cassava farmers within uyo Agricultural zone in Akwa ibom state. Specifically the study aims to,

1.  Determine the factors influencing cassava production in uyo agricultural zone.
2.  Determine the information disseminated to farmers by agricultural extension agents in uyo agricultural zone of Akwa ibom State.
3. Determine the benefits derived by cassava farmers from agricultural extension service delivery in uyo agricultural zone of Akwa ibom state.
4.  Determine the socio-economic characteristics of cassava farmers in uyo agricultural zone of Akwai bom State.

 1.4 RESEARCHQUESTION

The study seeks to find possible answers to the following questions,

1. What are the factors influencing cassava production in Uyo agricultural zone of Akwa ibom State?
2. What is the information disseminated to cassava farmers by agricultural extension agents in Uyo agricultural zone of Akwa ibom State?
3. What are the benefits derived by cassava farmers from agricultural extension service delivery in Uyo agricultural zone of Akwa ibom State?
4. What are the problems militating the best usage of agricultural extension?
5. What are the socioeconomic characteristics of cassava farmers in Uyo agricultural zone of Akwa ibom State?

 1.5 RESEARCHHYPOTHESIS

H0: the introduction of Agricultural extension agent has no significant impact on the poverty reduction among cassava farmers within uyo Agricultural zone.

H1:the introduction of Agricultural extension agent has significant impact on the poverty reduction among cassava farmers within uyo agricultural zone.

1.6 SCOPE OF THE STUDY

This study will look into the impact of agricultural extension on the poverty reduction in the country using rural cassava farmers within uyo Agricultural zone as a case study. The populations for this study comprises of cassava farmers within uyo agricultural zone as well as agricultural extension agents within the zone.

1.7 SIGNIFICANCEOFTHESTUDY

 Knowing the impact played by agriculture it will go along way to encourage both the individual, government and NGO’s to see reason why more attention need to be focused on agricultural extension in the country. Also, in an attempt to evaluate the impact of agricultural extension, problems faced by Agricultural extension will be look into and possible solution will be suggested which if duly followed will heap in educating and alerting existing agricultural extension agents as well as new agents on what to expect as an extension agent.

1.8 DEFINITION OF KEYWORDS Agricultural extension: A service or system which assists farm people, through educational procedures, in improving farming method sand techniques, increasing production efficiency and income, bettering their levels of living, and lifting the social and educational standards of rural life

Agricultural extension Agent: An extension agent is a person responsible for providing the knowledge and information that will enable farmers to under stand and make a decision about a particular innovation. And then for communicating that information to the farmer.

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