Contextualizing the new normal: Crop farmers’ utilization of e-extension resources in Osun State, Nigeria

Abstract

Agricultural extension services is critically inadequate to cover the multitudes of clienteles and the traditional face-to-face exchange with clients has further worsen the situation. Thus, it has become highly imperative to adopt more innovative ways of reaching out to farmers to transform the long reliance on the largely inadequate face to face exchanges with farmers. This study assessed the utilization of e-extension resources among crop farmers in Osun State, Nigeria. Multi-stage sampling procedure was used for sampling 120 arable crop farmers. Well-structured interview schedule was employed to elicit relevant information on farmers’ awareness of e-extension resources; their utilization of e-extension resources and constraints to use of e-extension resources. Descriptive statistics and inferential statistics were employed for statistical analyses at p≤0.05. Most of the respondents were married males with mean age of 44.3±11.4 years. Their farming experience and annual farm income averaged 28.6±16.7years and 1,112.73±693.68USD. They were mainly aware of Agricultural Development Programmes (ADP) helplines ( 2.78) and radio stations’ agric programmes ( 2.53). Most of the respondents had never used AGRIVI 360 ( =0.26) while few rarely used the National e-agric web portal ( =0.67). Low access to ICTs in rural areas ( 2.66), poor relevance of e-extension materials (2.58) and lack of support infrastructures (2.50) constituted major constraints to e-resources utilization. Sex, primary occupation, years of education, secondary income and cooperative membership underlined farmers’ utilization of e-extension resources. Sex, primary occupation, years of education, secondary income and cooperative membership influenced farmers’ utilization of e-extension resources. The study concludes that the predominant small-scale farmers are characteristically limited in benefitting from the potentials of the e-resources thereby necessitating enhanced access to advanced ICTs and their support infrastructures to spur grassroots farmers to fully harness the prospects of e-extension information systems for sustainable agricultural development. Hence, policy makers and development practitioners should dwell on these farmers’ realities to create an enabling environment towards achieving this goal.