This paper was designed to assess the state and effects of transportation facilities on agricultural development of rural farmers in Moro Local Government Areas of Kwara State. The study made use of structured interview schedules to collect data from 150 farmers by means of four-stage random sampling technique. Analytical tools used include Pearson Product moment correlation and Kruskalwallis ranking. Findings show that mode of transportation in the study area is mostly through headporterage and to a short distance, limiting number of produce that are hulled to the market with little income realized. Motor-cycles are used by some farmers while pick-up vans and small trucks are equally used with huge amount of transport money during haulage. Perishable crops like tomatoes, okra, pepper and yams get damaged in the course of transporting as a result of excessive heat and poor winding and bending roads resulting in loss of quality and reduction in farmers' income; eventually discouraging farmers in expanding his farm size the next growing season. Furthermore, the study found that about 60% of the farmers sell produce at farm gates as a result of high cost of transportation. While constraints in using transportation facilities such as road seasonality, cost of transportation and number of vehicles plying the road with mean of 589.66, 536.46 and 501.50 ranked first, second and third respectively. About 64.7% agreed that these constraints affect their accessibility to agricultural facilities. This has a long devastating effect on agricultural development of the study area. To improve transportation facilities in the area, there is need for rural infrastructural development and need to revive the rail-road system of transportation in rural areas.
The level of access of women to production resources can be enhanced through their active membership and participation in farmers’ associations. However, most farmer-groups in Nigeria are male-dominated. The study therefore analysed women farmers’ participation in farmer-group activities in Kwara State. Specifically, the study identified the expectations of women from group membership; determined their level of participation; identified constraints to participation; and investigated the determinants of participation. A two-stage random sampling technique was used to select 142 women farmers on which a structured interview schedule was administered. Descriptive statistics, Likert scale, and Ordinary Least Square (OLS) Regression Analysis were used to analyse and present the data collected. The results revealed that the mean age, years of experience and farm size of the respondents were 46.9 years, 22 years and 3.2 acres, respectively. Access to farm credit (57 %), self-help (49.4 %), and farm input (31.1 %) were the most important expectations from membership. The level of women participation was low (mean = 2.87) and determined by age, years of experience and farm size at P < 0.05. Financial constraints, poor sense of belonging, inappropriate timing of activities and socio-cultural discrimination were the most severe challenges to participation. The study concluded that women participation in farmer-group activities was low, influenced by their socio-economic characteristics. Therefore, we strongly recommend a multi-dimensional approach to enhance women’s participation in group activities.
The study focused on the motivation of farmers in participating in social networking on the use of irrigations in north central Nigeria. For the purpose of the study, social networking for this study consist of water users Association, Cooperative Societies, Agricultural Agency, Farmers Group, Family, Neighbourhood, Religious Group, Community Based Organizations, Non-Governmental Organization and Input Suppliers that are operating within the lower Niger River Basin Authority Irrigation sites at Shonga, Oke-oyi and Ejiba in North Central Nigeria. One hundred and ninety four irrigation farmers were randomly selected from three irrigation farming areas in two states of Kwara and Kogi in north central Nigeria. Data were obtained using a structured questionnaire. The Motivation for undertaking irrigation farming and their level of participation in social networking were measured through a 4-point likert scale while the data was analysed using descriptive statistics and Pearson product moment correlation. The findings showed that all the respondents (100%) were male, 94.6% were married and more than half (54.1%) of the respondents had no formal education, the result revealed family had the highest mean (3.86) based on their level of participation in social networking which was followed by water users association (3.82). Respondents ranked market information (2.47) as the most important contribution of social networking to the use of irrigation while Agricultural Extension Agency (2.85) was ranked as the most effective social networking in providing access to resource for irrigation farming. The result of Pearson product moment correlation revealed that there is significant relationship between their motivation for undertaking irrigation farming and their level of participation in social networking (r= 0.159; p < 0.05). Based on the findings, it is therefore recommended among others that farmers involved in irrigation farming should come together to form functional groups that can access resources for irrigation farming.
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