INFLUENCE OF AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION EDUCATION ON FOOD CROP PRODUCTION IN ETCHE LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF RIVERS STATE

Abstract

The study accessed the influence of Agricultural Extension Education on food crop
production in Etche Local Government Area of Rivers State, Nigeria. Specifically, the
study was examined to: examine the socio-economics characteristics of the food crop
farmers, identify the types of crop grown in the area, examine the influence of
agricultural extension information sources, examine the influence of agricultural
education on food crop practices and ascertain factors inhibiting agricultural extension
education on food crops practices. 2 communities from the 5 clans in Etche Local
Government Area (LGAs) were selected. A total of one hundred and Ten (110)
respondents made up the sample size for the study. Questionnaire and interview
schedule were the instrument used for data collection. Data collected were analyzed
using frequency, percentage, chart, mean statistics and factor analysis. Socio-economic
characteristics of the respondents were analyzed with view to knowing their sex
composition, marital status, age and educational background findingsrevealed hat 58%
of the crop farmers are females, 41.8% were males. Mean age of crop farmers was
45.5% ears, with majority in the age bracket of 41-50 years, 36.4% of the respondent
were married. Majority of the respondents were educated and 63.6% were full time
farmers while 36.4% were part time farmers. Majority (95.4%) of the respondents were
Christians while only 4.5% were Pegans. Farmers engage mostly on subsistence farming
which represents 92.7% followed by the commercial farmers 7.3%. Majority of the
farmers engaged a lot on subsistence farming in the study area