EXTENSION SERVICES AND AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION IN MEZAM DIVISION, CAMEROON

Abstract

This study examined the role of extension service delivery on agricultural production in Mezam division, Cameroon. The objectives targeted are: to analyze the influence of agricultural extension service on agricultural production in Mezam Division and to verify the challenges associated with enhancing agricultural production. Methodologically, the study employed 2SLS technique to estimate the result. Primary data was collected among 200 farmers in the Mezam Division using a well-structured questionnaire via simple random sampling. The result shows that extension service delivery is strongly correlating with agricultural production. In addition, agricultural training, education and the frequency of extension agent visiting a farmer and access to credit were equally observed to be influencing agricultural production in the study area. The study equally shows that difficulties consulting extension agent, climate change, transportation cost due to poor farms to markets roads, were found to be negative constraints of agricultural production. The study recommends that, the decision makers should create more awareness on the importance of the employment of extension service delivery workers; it’s a wise step towards augmenting agricultural production. Equally, that stakeholders in the domain of agriculture, should strategically consider agricultural production constraints such as difficulties consulting extension agent, climate change, transportation cost due to poor farms to markets roads to improve on agricultural production.