Comparative Evaluation Of Agricultural Extension Staff Training In The Three Geopolitical Zones Of Southern Nigeria.
Odinwa A B
Department of Agricultural Education, Federal College of Education (Technical), PMB 11, Omoku, Rivers State, Nigeria.
Nwafor S
Department of Agricultural, Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria.
Chukuigwe O
Department of Agricultural Extension, Federal University of Technology, Owerri, Imo State.
Keywords: Comparative, Evaluation, Agricultural Extension, Staff Training, Geopolitical Zones
Abstract
Comparative evaluation of agricultural extension staff training was carried out in the three geopolitical zones of Southern Nigeria. The study focused to: describe the demographic characteristics of the extension staff, evaluate the extension trainings received by agricultural extension staff, and ascertain the major constraints to extension staff training in the area of study. Descriptive survey was used to observe the population of the extension staff of Agricultural Development Programme (ADP) in the three southern geopolitical zones. Purposive sampling method was used to select 3 States (1 from each geo-political zone), 6ADP zones (2ADP zones from each geo-political zone), 12ADP Blocks and 4ADP Cells (i.e. 4ADP Blocks and 4ADP Cells from each geo-political zone). Also, a simple random sampling technique was used to select 60 extension staff (5 from each cell of the 12ADP Cells). Data for the study were collected through the administration of questionnaire designed in a Likert rating scales which gave a criterion mean of 3.00 for rational decision. Data collected were analyzed using both descriptive statistics (percentage, arithmetic mean and weighted mean) and inferential statistics - the Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) to test the hypotheses for significance at probability level of 0.05%. The result showed that majority (68%) of the extension staff across the three geopolitical zones were middle adult (46 years old) men with basic educational qualification (60% B.Sc.). It showed in the cumulative point of view that the EAs in the South-West geopolitical zone received trainings more regularly (CM = 3.10) than the South-East (CM = 2.56) and South-South (CM = 2.45) geopolitical zones. It also indicated that apart from: Involvement in Field Trip/Excursion (GM = 3.18); Attending Farmers’ Field School (FFS); and Training in entrepreneurial skills with equal grand mean (GM = 3.03) that were almost regular in the three geopolitical zones, the rest training variables were generally not regular except in the South-West zone. The result showed in ranking order that: Poor funding of Agricultural Extension (GM = 4.50); Lack of public/private extension partnership for training synergy (GM = 4.43); Poor implementation of extension policies and poor monitoring or regulation of extension policies with equal grand mean (GM = 4.30); Inadequate social learning (ICT) facilities (GM = 4.23); Not linking extension agency with the University for Staff training corroboration (GM = 4.12); and Absence of young people as EAs (GM = 3.98) were among the top ten constraints to extension staff training across the three geopolitical zones in Southern Nigeria. The study therefore recommended among others that: Young digital compliant extension professionals yearning for innovations should be encouraged and employed into extension industry in Southern Nigeria for greater productivity; A unified extension package involving the State Ministries of Agriculture, non-governmental agro agencies, extension professionals and the beneficiary farmers to be developed for these zones, to encourage uniformity in extension training welfare across the States; and Fund should be made available nationally and internationally for agricultural extension to function according to its genetic and generic purposes in Southern Nigeria.