INFLUENCE OF ADVISORY SERVICES ON THE ADOPTION OF SELECTED LIVESTOCK TECHNOLOGIES AMONG FADAMA III SHEEP AND GOAT FARMERS IN AKINYELE AND LAGELU LGA OF OYO STATE NIGERIA

Abstract

The need to address lack of input supply, inadequate technical assistance to increase productivity by fadama users necessitated the analysis of effectiveness of advisory service activities among Fadama III sheep and goat farmers’ groups in Akinyele and Lagelu Local government Areas of Oyo state. Simple random sampling technique was used in selecting 120 sheep and goat fadama farmers. The data collected using questionnaire and were analysed with the aid of descriptive statistical tools which include frequencies, percentage distribution and mean, standard deviation and inferential statistical tools such as Chi-square and Pearson Product Moment Correlation (PPMC). Result of the analysis shows that the mean age was 59.9 ± 8.5 with one third (34.2%) being between the ages of 58 and 66 years. The majority (71.7%) of the respondents were male, married (85.8%) and have one form of formal (78.3%) education or the other. Respondents benefited from the ASAs, with 55% of them deriving high level of benefits. They participated in all the ASAs and 47.5% had high level of participation in the activities. The result also revealed that lack of financial support (88.3%) was ranked first in order of severity in terms of constraints that limits the respondents in the adoption of transferred technology and lack of reliable and continuous technical assistance (62.9%) ranked second. Most of the respondents (55.8%) had high level of adoption while 44.2% had low level of adoption. Variables significantly related to the rate of adoption were respondents’ sex (X 2 =13.43), educational status (X 2 =24.92), marital status (X 2 =25.03) and age (r= -0.18). Lastly, participation in advisory service activities (r=0.010) and benefits derived by the respondents from advisory service activities (r=0.00) influence adoption of transferred technologies. Hence, government and other financial institutions should assist Fadama user group participants with loans to enable them increase adoption of transferred technologies and expansion of their farm enterprise to meet the goals of the Agricultural Transformation Agendas. Keywords: Influence, Advisory Services, Fadama III, Sheep and Goat.