Assessment of Extension Officers Contribution to Cocoa Production in Nigeria

Abstract

This study was carried out to evaluate the extension officer contribution to cocoa production in Nigeria. Multistage sampling technique was used, where two hundred and sixteen questionnaires were distributed in Osun and Ondo state , the information gathered were analyzed using descriptive statistic such as; frequency and percentage, while chi-square analysis was used to analyze the data obtained. From the results, married (77.6%),  male (84.0%), secondary school holders (52.0%), between 40-49 (34.4%) years old farmers were seen as the highest cocoa producers. Extension training(64.0%), commercial agents(64.0%), fellowship(52.8%), self observation(76.0%) were the best source of information on extension service of cocoa farming , most respondents (65.0%); get extension training programme at regular basis, identified Constraints facing cocoa production in the study area includes deficient credit facilities, high cost of labour, bad road, poor marketing/storage facilities, lack of technical knowledge / assess to technical tools and so on. in view of afore mentioned result it is therefore recommended that the government should make loan available to the cocoa famers at very low interest rate and urge cocoa farmers to form cooperative society, strengthen their agricultural extension agents so that they will be able to rain cocoa farmers on the basic things they should know about primary processing such as fermentation and drying of cocoa beans in improving the quality in Nigeria to meet international market.

Keywords: Assessment, Extension officer, Contribution, Farmers, Cocoa production