Evaluation of the Roles of Visual Instructional Materials in Agricultural Extension Services in the North-West Zone of Nigeria
Evaluation of the Roles of Visual Instructional Materials in Agricultural Extension Services in the North-West Zone of Nigeria.
ABSTRACT
This study evaluated visual instructional materials roles in agricultural extension services in the North-West Zone of Nigeria, comprising seven states Kaduna, Kano Katsina, Kebbi, Sokoto and Zamfara. The total number of respondents randomly selected was 56 agricultural extension agents and 14 respondent farmers through the use of both purposive and random sampling techniques in the study area.
Data were analysed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS). The findings revealed that 70% respondents were male, 30% were female. In gender variation male users of visual instructional materials in agricultural extension services were dominant. The study also found that 62% of the users were between the ages 18-39 years, and those of ages 40-59 years constituted 34% while those within 60 years and above were 4%.
The result showed 87% of the users were married with 12% being single, 1% where divorced. Youths were higher in number which may be attributed to high rate of unemployment in Nigeria. The evaluation found that the level of awareness of participants farmers and extension agents across the Zone and the overall roles impact in agricultural activities were significantly greater in technology adoption through the usage of visual instructional materials.
The findings further showed the educational status of the users. The data shows that 12% had primary education, 24% secondary education, while majority had tertiary education of 64%. Language preferred by users was English which ranked 62.3%. Also, the data reveals that Hausa has 27.4% and Arabic (Ajami) 10.3%.
INTRODUCTION
Agriculture has been recognized as the most important sector of the economy of developing countries. Developments in this sector have therefore, frequently attracted attention of governments, scholars, and citizens of these countries as well as international organizations. This has been particularly true in Nigeria where declining productivity and rising population in the last two decades have led to a growing concern over the need and opportunity for agricultural development (Atala, 2006).
However, not enough effort has been invested in research to design and implement effective extension programmes that are appropriate to the needs of the majority rural farmers, who are the producers of the bulk of the country‟s food and raw materials Agricultural Extension is an informal educational process which aims to teach farmers how to improve their level of living by their own effort.
Through making wise use of natural resources at their disposal for better systems of farming and homemaking, for the benefit of the individual, the family, the community and the nation at large. (IAR Extension Roll-Up(2013), www.abu.edu/institute.iar,( 2014).
In the Institute for Agricultural Research (IAR), Samaru mandate covering the North-west states, the Agricultural extension services was established to develop and maintain strong research extension farmer linkages for the purpose of effective dissemination of research results to end-users to.
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CSN Team.
