THE IMPACTS OF AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION SERVICES ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF AGRICULTURE FOR A SUSTAINABLE FOOD SECURITY IN SOUTH EAST, NIGERIA

Abstract

A descriptive survey research was carried out in South Eastern Nigeria to Evaluate the impacts
of agricultural extension services delivery on the development of agriculture for a sustainable
food security. The identified study problem is that in spite of the three tiers of governments
spending on agricultural and rural development in South East Nigeria, there is a seemingly
failure of the various agricultural extension delivery approaches in South East Nigeria which
called for the evaluation. This concern has been fueled by recent hike in food prices and food
insecurity. The study objectives were to: determine the different types of agricultural extension
services delivered in the study area; identify the modern technologies in use; the level/impacts
of agricultural extension services delivered, identify the modern technologies, in use, the level
of agricultural extension activities, determine respondents income generation status based on
Agricultural extension services delivered and make policy inference based on findings. The
National food reserve agency Data bank in their Enugu Regional office provided registered
woman Agricultural cooperatives from where multistage sampling techniques was used to select
2 local governments councils in each of the five states in S/E. In each of the 10 cooperatives, 5
participants and non – participants were selected respectivel by random sampling to get 100
respondents. Structured questionnaire with yes and No options in 11 items were administered to
the respondents. Data collected was analyzed by use of descriptive and inferential statistics.
Results also showed highest impact in income generation status on the purchase of
handsets(24%), 14% of the participants had new sets of furniture, 10% of them bought new wheel
barrows, 12% others built 2 rooms with parlour or more and more of the participants purchased
bicycles(8%), television sets(8%), radio recorder(8%), keke tricycles(8%)and 4% also bought
motor cycles and motor cars respectively compared with 62% of the non participants who could
not generate additional income as shown in table 1 of the study. Secondly, data results in table 2 revealed that topmost in the adoption index of 10 variables was on acceptance of farm input supplies (22%), followed by farmers trainings and capacity building(20%) among other while 54% of non participants did not benefit or adopt any of the 10 variables used in impact assessment of agricultural extension services delivery in the study area. The author therefore, concluded that there is a positive impact of agricultural extension services delivery in south east Nigeria. Thus, the high income generation activities of the women cooperative respondents helped them actively obtained agricultural extension services to buy new hand sets (24%), new sets of furniture (14%), wheel barrows(10%), and built new houses-2 rooms with parlor or more(12%), with 8% of them getting new bicycles, television set, radio recorders, motor cycles, and keke tricycles (8%) respectively. Also 4% of them bought car , represented by 2 of the respondents. Based on the findings and conclusion, the researcher therefore, recommended the following: the major stake holders-Local, State, Federal governments, NGOs, etc; should increase budgetary allocations to agriculture and rural development, employ and train more agricultural extension staff and provide more agro inputs with rural infrastructure to improve living standards of rural farmers and increase farmers productivity for sustainable food in South East Nigeria.