Perceived Influence of Communication Strategies on Agricultural Technologies Utilization among Farmers in Nigeria: A Study of NIHORT Adopted Village and School

Abstract

This paper examined perceived influence of National Horticultural Research Institute’s (NIHORT) communication strategies on agricultural technologies utilization among adopted village commercial farmers in Awaye community, Egbeda local government area, and student farmers in Oba Abass Aleshinloye Grammar School, Eleyele in Ibadan North West Local Government Area Ibadan, Oyo state, Nigeria. A total enumeration sampling procedure was used to obtain a sample size of 51 commercial farmers and student farmers altogether. Structured questionnaire was administered to assess their exposure and perceptions of the communication strategies implemented by NIHORT and analyzed using descriptive and inferential deductions. The results indicated that the communication strategies deployed by NIHORT had a positive influence on the farmers’ utilization of agricultural technologies. Specifically, the majority of the farmers (X̅=3.12) indicated that they had developed a greater trust in NIHORT’s communication strategies and the agricultural information disseminated through them, which encouraged the adoption of fertilizer application technology introduced with resultant effect in farm production increase. Furthermore, majority (52%) of the farmers have access to the agricultural messages disseminated through NIHORT. However, the farmers’ extent of exposure to and perception of the communication strategies deployed by NIHORT has no significant influence on the level of utilization of the agricultural technologies (p=0.579). The study recommended the integration of farmers’ needs into communication framework by agricultural research institutes to provide agricultural technologies’ utilization within farming communities to enhance sustainable agricultural productivity in Nigeria. Keywords: Adopted school, adopted village, agricultural technologies, communication strategies, farmers, NIHORT, utilization