Rural farmers' perception of the use of agricultural mechanization in agricultural production in Delta State Nigeria

Abstract

The study looked at rural farmers' perceptions of agricultural mechanization in agricultural productivity in Delta State. The respondents' opinions were gathered using a descriptive survey design. The study's participants were rural farmers in Delta State's 25 local government districts. 612 rural farmers were randomly chosen from 6 local government regions for a total sample size of 102. The data was evaluated using mean and standard deviation, with a 3.00 acceptance mean value. The numerous findings reveled the advantages of using agricultural mechanization in farming which includes increased productivity, reduced operating time, more income creation options, and more stable food system growth. The study also found that a lack of machinery, a shortage of replacement parts, farmer illiteracy, fragmentation, and a lack of money are obstacles to agricultural mechanization in rural areas. However, the study recommended that the government make agricultural mechanization available and accessible to farmers to encourage and motivate them to use it to maximize production; large areas of land should also be made available to willing farmers who want to engage in large-scale production.