ABSTRACT
This study evaluated the impact of the extension services of
Green River Project (GRP) on fish farmers in Niger Delta, Nigeria.
Specifically, it sought to ascertain fishery technologies received by GRP fish
farmers; determine adoption of fish farming technologies by fish farmers;
determine impact of extension services of GRP on socioeconomic condition of the
fish farmers as at the year 2012; ascertain farmers’ perceived constraints to
adoption of GRP fish farming technologies; ascertain constraints to effective
performance of extension services of GRP and determine perceived strategies to
improve effectiveness of the extension services of GRP. The study was carried
out in Niger Delta, Nigeria. Multi-stage sampling technique was used to select
120 fish farmers and 20 GRP personnel. Data were collected through the use of
questionnaire and interview schedule. Descriptive statistics (frequency, mean
statistic, percentage) were used to present data while t-test, regression,
chi-square and factor analysis with varimax rotation were used to analyze the
data. Mean age of GRP fish farmers and personnel were 50 and 41.70 years,
respectively. Majority (76.7% of fish farmers and 65% of GRP personnel) of
respondents were male. Also majority (77.5%) of the fish farmers and all (100%)
the GRP personnel were married. The respondents were literates. Majority (70.0)
of the fish farmers also engaged in other income generating activities. Average
household size of the fish farmers and GRP personnel were 6.0 and 4.0 persons,
respectively. Average years of participation in GRP for the fish farmers was
8.00 years while the mean years of working with GRP of the personnel was
12.65years. The farmers’ average number of contact with GRP was 4.0 times per
month. GRP personnel used different types of teaching methods such as the use
of contact group (100%), T&V system (90%) and SPAT (85.0%). Majority
(86.7%) of the fish farmers belonged to social organisations. Majority of
respondents received most of the technologies disseminated. Adoption index of
fish farm management technologies, feeding techniques, fish culture management
technique, water quantity and quality management techniques and liming
techniques were 0.79, 0.77, 0.77, 0.88 and 0.52 respectively. Extension
services of GRP had impact on quantity of fingerlings stocked (t=6.398; p≤
0.05) and quantity of fishes harvested (t=6.279; p≤ 0.05); income from fishes
produced (t=7.390; p≤ 0.05) among others. Constraints to adoption of GRP
technologies were grouped into technology dissemination constraints; project
implementation and sustainability constraints among others. Some socioeconomic
characteristics of the respondents (age (years), years spent in formal
education and years of participation in GRP) influenced the adoption of the
fish farming technologies. Therefore, the null hypothesis was rejected for
these variables. There was significant difference between the average
quantities of fish stocked and average quantity of fish harvested by the fish
farmers in Imo and Rivers States after participation in GRP hence the null
hypothesis was rejected. The null hypothesis was rejected while the alternative
hypothesis was accepted. It further revealed that there was no significant
difference between the average income earned by the fish farmers in Imo and
Rivers States after participation in GRP and the null hypothesis was accepted.
Implementation constraints to effective performance of extension services of
GRP according to GRP personnel included: climatic uncertainties and flooding
(M= 1.55) and delay in input supply (M=1.20). It was recommended that there is
need to increase youth involvement in the project (90.0%), increase farmers’
participation in decision making (90.0%) and increase the number of trained
extension personnel (85.0%).
CHAPTER
ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.
Background information
The development of state ministry of agriculture in Nigeria
changed in political structure after independence. The three regions structure
in 1960 gave way to four regions in1963 and this equally gave way to states
creation from 1967 up to 1996 (Ayoola, 2010). The roles of the ministry of
agriculture include the following: - Organizing of short duration seminars and
workshops to farmers. Providing farmers credit, subsidies and other incentives
to boost total output in the various special programmes undertaken by the state
government, Agricultural Development Programme (ADP), International Fund for
Agricultural Development (IFAD), World Bank, Food and Agriculture Organization
(FAO) and other support programmes. Conduct market surveys to determine current
prices of agricultural inputs and products. Carry out the technical
implementation of all agricultural loan schemes. Pest control services.
Overseeing the activities of all agriculture related Parastatals and Companies
(www.riverstate.gov.ng).
Agriculture in Nigeria has
witnessed drastic changes in government programmes ranging from administration,
funding, manpower and learning skills, and infrastructural facilities to
creation of research institutes (Madukwe, 2008). The first post colonial
development era of 1962-1968 period emphasized the introduction of more modern
agricultural methods through farm settlements, co-operative plantations, supply
of improved farm implements and a greatly expanded agricultural extension
service. Some specialized development schemes initiated during this period
include: the National Accelerated Food Production Programme (NAFPP), 1972; The
World Bank-funded Agricultural Development Projects (ADP) 1975; River Basin and
Rural Development Authorities (RBDA) 1976; Operation Feed the Nation, 1976; and
Green Revolution Programme, 1980; among others (Jibowo & Ajayi, 2011).
Agricultural Development
Programme (ADP) was a bilateral agreement between the World Bank and the
Federal Government of Nigeria in 1975. ADP idea is an offshoot of the concept
of integrated agricultural and rural development (Jibowo, 2005). The objective
is to improve the levels of living and welfare of farmers. It started as an
enclave in some states to a multi-stage ADP. The ADP is the implementation
organ of the state ministries of agriculture and natural resources (Jibowo and
Ajayi, 2011). ADP programmes consist of adaptive research, extension transfer,
input supply and rural infrastructure.
Operation feed the Nation (OFN)
(1975) was designed to mobilize the general public into participating in
agricultural production using mass and individual extension methods (Iwuchukwu
and Igbokwe, 2012). Some of these strategies included subsidized production
inputs, increased bank credit to farmers, establishment of commodity boards and
fixing of attractive prices for agricultural produce (Daneji, 2011). Its main
aim was to greatly reduce the cost of living particularly in the urban areas
with everybody being able to wholly or partly feed himself (Adebayo and
Okuneye, 2011).
River Basin and Rural
Development Authorities (RBDA) was launched in 1976. Primarily, the schemes
were to harness the country’s water resources by providing employment
opportunities through intensified crop, livestock and fisheries production with
the hope of improving the standard of living of the rural population (Williams,
1981). Their functions were to facilitate land development and ensure efficient
water resource management. Even though the project has succeeded several
regimes, irrigated land in Nigeria stood at 0.7% (Adebayo and Okuneye, 2011)
The Directorate of Foods, Road
and Rural Infrastructure (DFRRI) was established in 1987 with a mandate to open
the rural areas through the construction of access roads, and.....
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