Extension workers’ capacity for outreach to crop farmers on climate change resilience and adaptation in Edo state, Nigeria

Abstract

The study evaluated capacity for extension workers’ outreach to crop farmers on climate change resilience and adaptation in Edo State, Nigeria. The study specifically described socio-economic characteristics of the extension workers; described capacities for outreach by the extension workers; identified constraints to building capacities for outreach by the extension agents and identified strategies to building capacities of the extension workers. A multistage sampling technique was used to select 69 extension workers. Data for this study were obtained through the use of structured interview schedule. Descriptive statistics and factor analysis were employed in the analysis. The results showed that majority of the respondents (50.7%) were Extension Agent (EA) followed by 29.0% who were Block Extension Supervisors (BES). The result reveals that 34.8% of the extension staff to have attended between 1 to 4 conferences in the last three years. About 44.9% of the respondents participate in workshops, training, seminars for extension workers and farmers. Majority (82.6%) of the respondents identified bush burning, massive deforestation and excess use of agro-chemicals in farming as the major causes of climate change. A major constraints to building capacities for outreach by extension agents was absence of well-defined agricultural policy (3.254). Restructuring of extension agents’ education and trainings was identified as a major strategy to building the capacities of the extension workers. It is recommended that agricultural extension policies relating to climate change need to be reviewed, among others.