Assessment the role of village extension worker in North Kordofan Rural Development Project (NKRDP), Sudan

Abstract

This study was conducted in North Kordofan State. The study covers both Um Ruwaba and Bara localities (NKRDP area). The main objective is to investigate the role of village extension worker (VEW) on increasing the awareness of the communities towards IPM techniques that used to improve production and minimize hazard in the environment in the project area. The study based on primary and secondary data. The primary date was collected from field through constructed questionnaires filled with participant farmers and VEWs by direct interviews. Stratified random sampling technique was used to select 142 participants as sample size. NKRDP was the main sources of the secondary data as well as the institutional sources (MOA and PPD), references and previous studies. The study used SPSS for descriptive statistics and Chi-Squire test was used to test the role of VEWs services. The results showed the allocation and presence of VEW at the project villages. The results have also highlighted the different extension methods used by VEW, such as home and field visits, meetings, FFS, leaflets, and Poster and extension campaign. The results have showed positive role of VEW as sources of pesticides instated of the village traders. Results also indicated the increasing in farmer’s awareness towards the importance and use of seed dressing. The study had also shown an increase in the awareness of the farmers in the IPM of the watermelon bugs campaigns by 90% and the participation for the reason to control the pest by 76%. Results of Chi-squire test revealed significant differences between parameters measured. Finally, the study recommended the establishment of an extension system that can be developed for an effective integrated pest management.