Effects of Agricultural Extension Services on Leaf Vegetables Farmers Use of Agro-Chemicals in Imo State, Nigeria

Abstract

This study was designed to analyze the effects of agricultural extension services on leaf vegetables farmers’ use of agro-chemicals in Imo State, Nigeria. The study described socioeconomic characteristics of leaf vegetables farmers that use agro-chemicals, ascertained the role of extension services on use of agro-chemicals by leaf vegetable farmers, ascertained the sources of information on the use of agro-chemicals among leaf vegetable farmers, determined the influence of extension services on agro-chemicals use by leaf vegetable farmers and determined the extension variables influencing use of agro-chemicals by leaf vegetables farmers. Data were collected in 2021 with structured and validated questionnaire from 128 proportionately and randomly selected leaf vegetables farmers that use agro-chemicals in Imo State. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics such as mean, frequency distribution and percentages as well as econometric tools of bivariate and logit regression models. Major roles of extension services in farmers’ use of agro-chemicals for leaf vegetables production were acting as catalyst to speed up adoption rate, technology transfer and source of information. The major sources of information to the leaf vegetables farmers on agro-chemicals use were fellow farmers association and traders on vegetables. Extension services positively and significantly influenced leaf vegetables farmers’ use of agro-chemicals. The agricultural extension variables influencing use of agro-chemicals by leaf vegetables farmers were availability of certain communication media, extension agents familiarity, relevance of subject matter, size of extension staff, size of audience, frequency of use of familiar teaching methods, farmers’ satisfaction with extension information, perceived usefulness of extension information, perceived quality of extension staff and relative cost of the extension teaching methods. There is need for extension services to intensify efforts at visiting and training leaf vegetable farmers on the appropriate application techniques of agro-chemicals to their vegetables to minimize the hazardous effects of the agro-chemicals on farmers’ health and the environment and consequently increase productivity and farm income.
 Keywords: Extension services, leaf vegetables, farmers, agro-chemicals, Imo State.