STRATEGIES FOR AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION SERVICES DELIVERY DURING INSECURE SITUATIONS IN BENUE AND NASARAWA STATES, NIGERIA

Abstract

The study examined some strategies that can be employed for agricultural extension services delivery by field extension workers of Agricultural Development Programmes (ADPs) to farmers during insecure situations in Benue and Nasarawa States, Nigeria. A total of 121 extension personnel were selected through stratified sampling technique. Data were collected with structured questionnaire and analysed using descriptive statistics. The results on the socio-economic characteristics of extension field workers show that majority (75.21%) of the field extension workers were male, with an average mean age of 41.5 years. Most (88.43%) of the extension field workers were married and majority (62.81%) have attained HND as their highest educational qualification, with 14 years as the mean number of years of extension experience. The results also revealed that delivery of extension services to farmers in internally displaced persons camps (90.90 %) and secured zonal offices (38.01%) were identified as alternative strategies while radio programmes (85.95%) and mobile phones (51.23%) were the preferred ICT components for extension services delivery to farmers during insecure situations. The study concluded that extension services delivery to farmers in internally displaced persons camps and secured zonal offices were identified as the major strategies while radio programmes and mobile phones were the preferred ICT components for extension services delivery to farmers in insecure areas. The study recommends the institutionalization of agricultural extension services by extension agencies in IDPs camps in the county like every other essential service so as to facilitate access to knowledge and productive resources that will increase their productivity and wellbeing upon return to their communities when peace is restored.