Impact of Extension Services and Input Consultants’ Activities on Crop Yields of Fadama III Additional Financing Farmers in Nigeria

Abstract

The study examined the impact of the Advisory Services and Input Consultants (ASICs) activities on the crop yield of farmers under Fadama III AF. Multi-stage sampling procedure was used to select 800 respondents to whom questionnaires were administered, but 687 of the copies of the questionnaire were used. Data analysis was done using mean, frequencies, percentages and t-tests. Findings revealed that adoption and continuous use of quality pest and disease management technology were high among all the categories of farmers with 94.0%, 93.5%, 98.0% and 94.7% of the rice, cassava, sorghum and tomato farmers, respectively. Furthermore, the average crop yield per hectare for the enterprises was rice (=11.2 tons), cassava (=29.1 tons), sorghum (=1.33 tons) and tomatoes (=9.7 tons). Meanwhile, inadequate funding/credit facility to implement knowledge gained (188 points) was the most severe constraint affecting adequate participation in ASIC activities. In addition, cassava (=40,888.01) and sorghum (=1,658.37) yields of the funded farmers were significantly higher than those of the non-funded farmers (=15,322.47 and =426.67, respectively). ASIC activities improved crop yield of the farmers. Therefore, the ASIC approach to technologies dissemination should be sustained by the Fadama management team.