Gender and Educational Differences in the Agricultural Information Needs of Plantain Farmers in Ikenne Local Government Area of Ogun State, Nigeria

Abstract

One way to address challenges faced by plantain farmers is by identifying their agricultural information needs. This study investigated gender and educational differences in the agricultural information needs of plantain farmers in Ikenne LGA of Ogun State, Nigeria. It found that the agricultural information needs of plantain farmers statistically significantly differed according to gender and education. Agricultural information needs differed according to stages such as preparation, planting, post-planting, harvesting, post-harvesting. Agricultural information was needed most in the preparation stage (mean=2.71). Plantain farmers’ information needs ranged from good soil selection (mean=2.86) through to marketing  (mean=2.20) of the produce. The study recommended that any information provided by the extension worker in a particular community should be based on the identified information needs of the farmers within that community.