Agricultural Information Needs of Women Farmers in South-Western Nigeria: Lessons for Effective Extension Delivery

Abstract

This study determined the specific agricultural information needs of women farmers across the ago-ecologicalzones of south western Nigeria. A stratified andmulti-stage random sampling technique was adopted in selecting347 women farmers that were duly registered with the Agricultural Development Programme (ADP) in Ogun,Oyo, Ondo and Delta States. Frequency counts, percentages, chi-square analysis and analysis of variance(ANOVA) were used in analyzing the generated data Findings reveal that 43.3% of the respondents are between41 and 50 years, and that 83.4% are married. Cassava and maize are the major crops grown by the womenfarmers (100%). Furthermore, findings reveal that women farmers to a “large extent" need informationpertaining to improved seeds (64.0%) and cooperative association (57.3%) while 56.8% do not need informationon government regulations. Results of inferential statistics indicate that educational level is not significantlyrelated to agricultural information needs (y? =0.35; p > 0.05). Hoyvever, there is a significant relationshipbetween age and womenfarmers agricultural information needs (g2= 16,87, p < 0.05). But there is no significantdifference in the agricultural information needs of women farmers in the Rain Forest zone ( x =41.8) andSavannah zone ( x =40.6), (F= 0.29;p > 0-05). Therefore extension delivery packages to womenfarmers shouldlayparticular emphasis on agricultural information relating to improvedseeds andcooperative associations.