Lead Farmer Extension Approach and Sustainable Extension Service Delivery in Oyo State, Nigeria

Abstract

Summary Over the years, provision of extension and advisory services has been the main thrust of both the public and private extension services in Nigeria. Meanwhile, the lead farmer extension approach has been deployed for cost effectiveness, broader reach and sustainability. The utility value of this approach needs to be empirically established. This study therefore examined the extent to which the approach has achieved the intended objectives among randomly sampled maize farmers in Iseyin and Saki-West Local Government Areas (LGAs). Interview schedule and focus group discussion among farmer groups were used for the study. Lead farmer extension approach was cost and time effective vis-a-vis the number of farmers reached and the achieved outcome. Almost 70% of the lead farmers encountered late arrivals and impatience from group members during step-down training activities while all of them complained of insufficient funds for refreshment. About 65% of the farmers engaged in selective adoption of the training items owing to various reasons. There was also a significant difference between the knowledge level of the lead farmers and their respective group members while the group members’ assessment of their respective lead farmers’ performance was high. The study concluded that this extension approach was effective and could serve to complement the efforts of extension workers in the state.

National extension policy and state-level implementation: The case of Cross River State, Nigeria

“…The participation of the private sector in agricultural extension service delivery is likely inevitable, given the recent paradigm shift in agriculture (Adebayo et al 2015;Sennon 2015;Rahman and Yousif 2016;Raidimi and Kabiti 2017;Oyelami, Akinwale, and Ladele 2018). Studies have argued that multiple drivers have prompted privatization reforms of agricultural extension in various countries.…”

“…Studies have argued that multiple drivers have prompted privatization reforms of agricultural extension in various countries. For instance, dissatisfaction with the performance of large government agencies has led many countries to embrace microeconomic reform to provide incentives for the private sector to improve service delivery, including in agricultural extension (Chapman and Tripp 2003;Raidimi and Kabiti 2017;Oyelami, Akinwale, and Ladele 2018). Furthermore, the goals and purposes of agriculture and food systems policy have developed from a principal focus on production to wider coverage of the mechanisms of value chains and the dynamics of market-oriented poverty reduction goals (Davidson and Ahmad 2002;Abdu-Raheem and Worth 2016).…”

“…In Nigeria, agricultural extension gained a strong footing during the World Bank's collaboration with the federal and state governments in establishing and funding the Agricultural Development Projects (ADPs) in 1975(FMARD 2012Okwoche, Asogwa, and Obinne 2012;Taye 2013;Naswem and Ejembi 2017;Oyelami, Akinwale, and Ladele 2018). Prior to the establishment of the ADPs, Nigeria had virtually no deliberate and effective agricultural extension system or policy.…”

“…It is important to stress that the state ADPs remain one of the major platforms for agricultural extension delivery at the state and grassroots levels in Nigeria (FMARD 2012;Olomola et al 2014;Naswem and Ejembi 2017). Moreover, nearly all the public extension workers in Nigeria are employed in the state ADPs (Taye 2013;Huber, Davis, and Lion 2017;Oyelami, Akinwale, and Ladele 2018).…”

Towards a Typology for Agribusiness-based Advisory Services: Model Description and Analysis

“…This is possibly caused by the fact that farmer extensionists are more practice-oriented in giving training, know better what is needed locally and are credible when they can show that they themselves practice what they teach. Farmers may also trust fellow farmers more (Oyelami et al, 2018).…”