DESCRIPTION

ABSTRACT

The study examined the impact of agricultural extension agent in the development of agriculture in some selected areas in Ogun state, Nigeria. A total of 100 Plantain farmers were randomly selected from the study area. Farmers were interviewed using well structured questionnaire. Simple descriptive statistics and multiple regressions were used to analysis the data collected. The likert scale techniques was used to identify the constraints faced by the farmers, the result revealed that 68.3 percent of the farmers were male while 31.7 percent were female, While 50 percent of the farmers has no form of formal education. Some of the farmers had no contact with extension workers which imply that extension services in the study areas were either low or non-existing. The major constraints the farmers faced were transportation, labour, storage processing, finance, lack of government incentives, low price index, and poor knowledge of technology. Based on the study carried out it is recommended that extension services be intensified in the study area, provision of credit facilities to farmers, betterment of farmers socio economic status, employment of modern equipment in production e.t.c

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

Background to the study

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 (Ileubaoje 2004). 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 agricultural development programme (ADPs). With the re-organization and strengthening of the extension agent of the ADPS, 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 (Ajuwon 2006). It is also worth noting that despite the tremendous achievements of the agricultural sector in Nigeria, the ADPs have been besotted by a myriad of problems, especially with the terminal end of the counterpart funding by the World Bank. These problems range from the Nona rail ability 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) Chikwendu et al, (2007) noted that in recent years, there have been indications of ineffectiveness in the extension agent of the ADPs.

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 his 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 agricultural development programme. 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.

Statement of the problem

     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 globalization sweeping 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 expending population, environmental degradation, political instability, economies failure and the declining budget, re-thinking the way agricultural technology is delivered to farmers has become necessary.

• Research Objectives

The major objective of this study is to determine the impact of agricultural extension agent in the development of agriculture in the study area.
Specific objective were to:
a.      identify the socio-economic characteristics of farmers in the study areas;
b.      Identify the extension Agents’ Opinion on the Adoption of Improved Practices by the Farmers

      examine the factors affecting the productivity of plantain in Nigeria.

Research Questions

The backdrops of plantain production in agricultural extension are itemized in the following research questions:

1. What are the social-economic characteristics of plantain farmer in selected Local Government areas in Ogun State?
2. What is the Extension Agents’ Opinion on the Adoption of Improved Practices by the Farmers?
3. What are the factors affecting the productivity of plantain in Nigeria?

Significance of the study

1. The study will be of importance to the agricultural extension decision makers by identifying the problems confronting extension activities for consideration in future development planning.
2. The study will be of importance to the extension agents by providing them with information relevant to plantain production activities.
3. The study will provide useful information that will increase the standard of living of the farmers.
4. The study will be significant to the researchers as it will serve as literature for future references.

Scope of the study

The research study will be limited to plantain farmers in  selected local government areas in Ogun State.

Definition of Key Terms

Agricultural Extension: Agricultural extension is the application of scientific research and new knowledge to agricultural practices through farmer education.

Plantation: a usually large group of plants and especially trees under cultivation

Production: the act of producing; creation; manufacture. Something that is produced; a product. Farming: Farming is the act or process of working the ground, planting seeds, and growing edible plants.

Harvest: the season for gathering in agricultural crops the beginning of the harvest