Evaluation of Extension Agents Commitment to the Agricultural Loans and Inputs Supply Programme on Special Rice Production in Delta State, Nigeria

Abstract

ABSTRACT:The study evaluated the activities of Extension agents on Agricultural Loans and Inputs Supply Programme participant farmers' rice output/income. Data were collected with the aid of questionnaire from 60Extension agents (participating in the ALIS programme) randomly selected from 6 LGAs (where the programme is being implemented) of Delta State. Data were also collected from 80 participant and 80 nonparticipant farmers' of the programme. Results of data analysis reveals that all the Extension agents are males and are married. Most (40%) of them belong to the age bracket of 30 -39 years, with a high proportion (48.3%) of them having HND/first degree and a good number of them (28.3%) having 5 -6 years experience in the ALIS programme. Major functions carried out by the Extension agents in the ALIS programme were advisory role (2.75), training farmers on inputs use (2.67) and demonstrating inputs use (2.65). The roles of the Extension agents on the farmers made a significant difference in out (176.25kg) and income N53,468.75 in favour participants. Important inputs provided by the extension agents are farm size, improved seeds and farm chemicals like fertilizer and urea. Some important constraints facing the programme according to the Extension agents were limited coverage of farmers (3.23), wrong selection of programme participants (3.22), late delivery of inputs (3.15) and poor funding of the programme (3.05). Based on findings the study recommends that efforts should be made to deliver inputs promptly to farmers, ensure all necessary inputs are timely made available to farmers and in adequate quantities, there is need to ensure that only those farmers who depend on rice farming are selected to participate in the programme. © JASEM

The Usage of Web Tools in Extension Service Delivery Among Agricultural Extension Workers in South-West Nigeria

“…This shows that agricultural extension workers had reasonable experience in carrying out extension works and as such they would have been exposed to training on the use of web-based tools in the discharge of their duties as information experts. This study conforms with the assertions of who reported over 17 years of experience for the extension workers in Delta State, Nigeria while reported 15 years as the average years of experience among extension workers in Nigeria (Okwuokenye and Okoedo-Okojie, 2014;Davis et al, 2019)…”

“…The finding shows that agricultural extension workers in the study area had moderate household size of about 6. The findings conform with the studies of which reported that agricultural extension workers in Nigeria had between low to moderate family size as compared to most farmers with, Results show that the mean annual income of agricultural extension workers in Nigeria based on the selected sample was approximately 1.432,280.00 (Ogunwande et al, 2018;Okwuokenye and Okoedo-Okojie, 2014). This shows that on average, an extension worker receives about N119, 356.66 per month as salary.…”

Financing Agriculture in Nigeria through Agricultural Extension Services of Agricultural Development Programmes (ADPs)

“…Okuokenye & Okoedo-Okojie (2014) investigated activities of extension agents on agricultural loans and inputs supply programme of participant farmers’ rice output/income. Questionnaire served as the instrument of data collection from a sample of 60 randomly selected extension farmers and 80 participant and 80 non-participant farmers’.…”

“…The empirical review reveals that adequate empirical literature abound on agricultural financing through the extension services of ADP in Nigeria. Most of the studies agree that the ADPs have made significant impact on agricultural production in Nigeria, especially in the a areas of increased agricultural output and income as well as improved rural livelihood ( Adamu & Mohammed, 2009; Ammani et al , 2010; Okuokenye & Okoedo-Okojie, 2014; Olujenyo, 2006; Omonijo et al , 2014; and Ugwu, 2007). However, not all the objectives of the programme have been successful.…”

“…These challenges could erode the credibility and “Goings Concern” of the implementation of the project if urgent steps are not taken to mitigate the challenges. The major challenges include inadequate funding, mainly as a result of the inability of critical stakeholders (World Bank, federal government and state governments) to fulfill their financial obligations to the programme as and when due ( Ammani et al , 2010; Chukwuemeka & Nzewi, 2011; Ugwu, 2007) Omonijo et al , 2014; Auta & Dafwang, 2010; and Okuokenye & Okoedo-Okojie, 2014) as well as politicization of the selection of participants in the implementation of the programme by government ( Chukwuemeka & Nzewi, 2011; Okuokenye & Okoedo-Okojie, 2014; and Ugwu, 2007).…”