Factors affecting mass media methods of extension delivery system in Yakurr Local Government Area of Cross River State, Nigeria

Abstract

The study examined the factors affecting mass media methods of extension delivery system in Yakurr Local Government Area of Cross River State, Nigeria. Specially, the objectives of the study were to describe the socio-economic characteristics of the farmers, access the teaching aids available for mass media method of extension delivery, identify the extension teaching methods exposed to farmers than
mass media and to identify factors affecting mass media method of extension service delivery in the study area. A multi-stage sampling technique was used in selecting 110 respondents from five (5) council wards. Data was obtained from the farmers using a set of structured and validated questionnaires and were analyzed using descriptive statistics, chi-square and likert scale analysis. Majority (58.18%) of the farmers were male, above 50 years (44.55%), married (56.36%) and with a family size of 1-4 (43.64%).Majority (76.3%) are Christians and had obtained their First School Leaving Certificate (54.55%). The result also revealed that the individual methods, group discussions, brainstorming, lecture methods, result demonstration, method demonstration, field trip, panel discussion, seminars and workshops (representing 70%, 53.6%, 70%, 73.6%, 71.8%, 60.9%, 59.1%, 60.9%, 70% and 62.7% respectively) were the extension methods exposed to farmers in the study area. Inability to access timely up-to-date information, unavailability of broadcast facility, lack of feedback, language barriers, time barriers and difficulty in accessing information (mean values being 3.72, 3.68, 3.57, 3.55, 3.54 and 3.51 respectively) were the major factors affecting mass media methods of extension delivery system in the study area. The decision rule (chi square),revealed that four mass media, namely radio (52.510), television (52.510), print media (newspaper) (44.546) and internet (14.546) were highly accessible by the farmers but radio (52.510) and television (52.510) were more highly accessible in the study area while billboards (0.290), magazines (0.582), pamphlets (2.328) and bulletins (1.310) were not accessible by the farmers. Based on the findings, the following recommendations were made: Agricultural Extension Services, including the Ministry of  Agriculture in the state should strengthen the use of radio and television in information dissemination to farmers in the study area.

Keywords: Mass media, Extension ,Service delivery, Dissemination, Broadcast, Agriculture