The study examined farmers' knowledge of the role of extension services in Akwa-Ibom State. Specifically, the study examined socioeconomic characteristics of the farmers in the study area, ascertained level of farmer's knowledge on the role of agricultural extension in general agricultural development and also identified problems militating against farmers' knowledge of these roles in the state. Multistage sampling techniques were used in selecting 180 respondents for the study. Descriptive statistics was used for data analysis while Probit regression analysis was used to test the hypotheses. The results show that the farmers had high knowledge in areas of role and information transfer through agricultural extension, while they had low knowledge in areas of effective implementation of knowledge and information gained. This has impeded the expected food security the nation hopes to attain through proper training and implementation of programs by farmers. However, major constraints limiting farmers' knowledge in agricultural extension are poor understanding and application of technologies (= 4.4) as well as irregular visit and supervision of farmers by extension agents (= 4.0). Probit regression analysis shows that extension contact (2.705), level of education (3.389), farm status (3.282), income (2.505) and membership of cooperatives (6.012) were positive and highly significantly related to the level of farmers' knowledge in the state. The study therefore recommends that knowledge of extension service should be brought closer to the farmers, through participatory extension approach under stable policy and sustainable institutional arrangement.
Pesticides can be used to protect stored produce against pest damage despite its danger to humans, livestock and environment. This paper relied on secondary data and information to review the benefits of pesticide usage in stored produce, its toxicity and measures necessary for safe stored produce for local consumption and export. Pesticides was found to have a very strong positive impact in the prevention of crop produce losses due to insect and other pests in storage facilities, thus saving farmers money. Beside, pesticide usage was found to enhance human health by preventing disease out breaks through the control of rodents and also gives revenue to the government through taxes paid by pesticide manufacturers and handlers. It was suggested that to prevent pesticide toxicity only tested, recommended and certified pesticides from approved sources should be used by skilled hands as specified, especially at the economic threshold (ET) level. That is when it is absolutely necessary with adequate precautions. However, pesticides can be safe if they are used carefully as prescribed.
It has been realized that one of the most pressing problems facing our country is that of immediate increase and diversification of our food supplies in order to sustain the ever increasing population growth at a sufficiently high level of nutrition. As a result of pressure from human activities and economic necessity, many food crops are disappearing from our tables, thus depleting the nation's food resources and contrary to the production of food for local consumption at affordable prices, which has the greatest opportunity on the basis of 'a kobo saved is as good as kobo earned'. Loss of the crop biodiversity has seriously damaged small scale farmer's livelihood despite the growth enhancement support scheme and also drastically reduced the potentials of food sustainability. Recently, out of the 30 cultivated species of food crops that provided 90%of human calorific food supply in Nigeria, only 15 stands between mankind and starvation. Inculcating food crop diversity in the Growth Enhancement Support Scheme ensures exploitation of more alternatives to maintaining current output of a major crop and simultaneously initiating increase in the production of the alternatives. Diversification will bring about reduction on the dependency of the established food crops hence reducing the current high market prices to affordable price level.
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