Agricultural Information Dissemination to Soybean Farmers in Niger State, Nigeria

Abstract

This study investigated agricultural information dissemination to soybean farmers in Niger State, Nigeria. The objectives of the study were to: identify the types and the extent to which agricultural information is disseminated to soybean farmers in Niger state. It also aims to establish the relationship between dissemination of agricultural information and quality of life of farmers. Descriptive survey and multistage sampling technique was used for the study. In the first stage, purposive sampling technique was used to select three Local Government Areas under the Niger State Agricultural and Mechanization Development Authority (NAMDA). In the second stage,  stratification of the three Local Government Areas into four extension blocks was carried out. In the third stage, a random selection of  respondents from the four blocks in proportionate to size was done. Questionnaire was the instrument used for the collection of data. The data collected were tabulated and analyzed using frequency counts, percentages, mean and standard deviation. The findings revealed that some types of agricultural information were sufficiently disseminated while others need improvement in dissemination efforts. The study also showed that farmers commonly received information from interpersonal sources. Moreover, agricultural information dissemination was found to bear direct relationship with quality of life of soybean farmers (β=.660, R2 =.740, p<.05). The study therefore recommended that agricultural information disseminators (particularly state agencies), should disseminate more information on post-harvest activities as this may translate into high income generation and consequently, improve the quality of life of soybean farmers.

Keywords:, Agricultural Information, Agricultural Information dissemination, Quality of life, Soybean Farmers.