Enhancing Training of Staff of the Agricultural Development Programme for Effective Agricultural Extension Service Delivery in Nigeria

Abstract

This paper, identified the areas where staff of the Agricultural Development Programme (ADP) that carry out grassroots extension service delivery need to be trained and the field problems requiring research intervention. Secondary data from Annual Performance Survey (APS) report of NAERLS and NPAFS between 2010 and 2012 were used. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Results showed that the most frequent key areas where trainings needed were long term course, short term refresher trainings, pre-season training, management training for administrative staff, specialized for subject matter specialist and data collection processing/analysis. The study further revealed that the development of livestock feed formula from local materials, heat-tolerant and disease resistant varieties of tomato and wheat were the most pressing problems requiring the researchers’ attention. It is recommended that ADPs should be given periodic training by relevant organizations on the identified areas and researchers should focus their researches more on the identified problems requiring research intervention. Moreover, state governments should adequately sponsor trainings of ADPs in their various states. This will strengthen the ADPs skills and increase their productivities for an effective extension service delivery in Nigeria.

Key words: ADPs, capacity building, extension services