Agricultural Information Needs of Physically Challenged Farmers: A Case Study Of Leprosy Hospital, Etinan Local Government Area, Akwa Ibom State

Abstract

The study assessed the agricultural information needs of physically challenged farmers in Leprosy Hospital, Ekpene Obom, Etinan Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State. The specific objectives were: to examine the socio-economic characteristics of the respondents, determine the sources of available agricultural information, ascertain the respondents’ level of access to agricultural information, examine the agricultural information needs of the respondents in the study area. A two-stage sampling procedure was used to select fifty three (53) respondents for the study. Data were collected with well structured questionnaire and analyzed using factor analysis and cluster analysis. A factor analysis performed on the fourteen (14) sources of agricultural information yielded two (2) dimensions namely Individual Contact and Mass Contact factors; these accounted for 61% of the variation. Accessibility to agricultural information was low. Cluster analysis further grouped the respondents into four cluster levels (very high, high, low and very low accessed groups) in terms of access to agricultural information, with the very low accessed group consisting majority (66%) of the respondents. A factor analysis was also performed for the thirty (30) agricultural information need variables. This operation produced nine (9) factors namely; Customized Innovation and Self Development; Inorganic Farming Practices; Soil Conservation; Inputs Access, Agronomic Practices, Processing, Land Preparation Technique, Improved Seedlings and Farm Record Keeping factors. Among other recommendations, the study recommended incorporation of extension services for physically challenged farmers into Agricultural Development Programme (ADP).

Keywords: Agriculture, Information needs, Physically challenged farmers, Leprosy