Information and Training Sources Used by Rice Farmers in North Central Nigeria

Abstract

The study investigated the information and training sources used by rice farmers in North central, Nigeria. A total of 320 respondents were selected and interviewed using structured interview schedule. The respondents were of two categories, the participants and non-participants of the intervention programme. The data were analyzed using frequency, percentages, mean, ranking and chi square. Majority (80.6%) of the non-participants had been cultivating rice for more than 20 years and it was only few (10%) of the participants that had been cultivating rice for more than 20 years, majority (91.3%) of the participants had above 2.5 ha and only about 33.1% of the non-participants had rice farm size above 2.5 ha. Many of the non-participants (57.5%) had up to 3 different plots of rice farm, while the majority of the participants (51.3%) had up to 2 different plots for rice farming. Non-participants and participants claimed that other farmers (93.1%) and USAID/Market field officers (100%) respectively were their main sources of information. Training perception indicates that selection of high yielding varieties with the mean score of 3.95 ranked 1 st , selection of healthy seeds with a mean score of 3.92 ranked 2 nd and fertilizer use ranked 3 rd as the most relevant improved technologies on which training was received. The study also reveals that training was positively associated with adoption, the result of the paired mean difference between the output (35.863) and income (149113.8) of participants and non-participants showed clearly significant mean deference. Implying that training and adoption of improved rice package had a positive and significant effect on output and income. It was recommended that frequent training of the rice farmers in the study area should be given topmost priority so that the farmers can obtain adequate information and, consequently, obtain optimum yield from the adoption of improved rice packages.

Exploring the Effectiveness of Selected Postharvest Training Information on Improved Maize Crib Utilization by Maize Farmers in Southwest Nigeria

“…This information available to farmers usually comes from different sources, which more often than not influences utilization of technologies and packages. Tsado et al (2014) found that some farmers use limited information sources, while others give themselves to being more influenced by certain information channel during different stages of innovation adoption. However, adequate information which usually abounds through a variety of sources has been identified as one of the major pre-requisite for widespread acceptance of agricultural innovation (Agbamu, 2006).…”

Training Needs Of Rice Farmers In Mahanawiyah District, AL-Qadisiya Province, Iraq

“…Training is mostly directed at improving the ability of individuals to do vocation more effectively and efficiently. Generally, it involves acquiring information, knowledge and developing abilities or attitudes, which will result in greater competence in the performance of a work (Tsado et al, 2014). In order to make any training meaningful and effective, it is imperative on the part of the training organizers to identify the training needs of the farmers based on which a suitable training module can be developed so that the appropriate training is given and higher degree of productivity and profitability can be achieved (Chawang and Jha, 2010).…”

“…Many studies have been conducted for this purpose in different regions of the world, such as (Bajpai et al, 2007;Chawang and Jah, 2010;Nath and Chowdhury, 2010;Devarani, 2013) in India, (Tologbonse et al, 2008;Alarima et al, 2011;Tsado et al, 2014) in Nigeria, (Nahfees, 2013) in Sri Lanka, (Goli et al, 2013) in Iran, (Benard et al, 2014) in Tanzania. These studies indicate that the major areas of training needs of the rice growers were: plant protection measures, fertilizer management, loan and intercultural operation, winnowing, threshing, insect and disease management, water management, weed management, land preparation, sowing and transplanting, harvesting and storage, surface leveling and smoothening, nursery management, selection of high yielding varieties, selection of healthy seeds, marketing.…”