Comparative analysis of the agro-technology generation and transfer systems of university and agricultural development programme in Nigeria

Abstract

This study comparatively analysed technology generation and transfer practices between the extension systems of ADP and university in Nigeria. It is part of a larger study which analysed the agro-technology transfer systems of ADP and University in Nigeria. Four states namely, Benue, Kaduna, Ogun and Osun were purposively selected. Two hundred and eighty four randomly selected extension staff made up of two hundred and twenty from the ADP and sixty four from the university made up the sample size for the study. Questionnaire was employed for data collection, while t-test was the statistical tools adopted in analyzing the data. The findings show that the university had greater autonomy in agro-technology generation than the ADP. However the ADP involved farmers in their field research trials than the university. On technology transfer, the university grouped farmers and targeted them with programmes based on need more than the ADP. The ADP system had better knowledge of rural dynamics than the university system. The ADP had poor staff training facilities and provided inadequate training incentives to staff compared with the university which had better training facilities and provided competitive incentives to extension workers. The paper recommends restructuring of the ADP and university extension systems, such that each will concentrate on the areas it has greater comparative advantage and complement each other.