Influence of Information Sources on Awareness of Forestry-related Technology in Southwest Nigeria

Abstract

Forestry-related technologies (FRTs) are practices to mitigate and ameliorate effects of environmental degradation resulting from agricultural production practices. However, inadequate sources of information on FRTs among farmers limit and hinder farmers’ awareness of such technologies. This study investigated the interrelatedness of information sources and awareness of FRTs in Southwest Nigeria. Multi-stage sampling technique was used to randomly select respondents from Forestry Research Institute of Nigeria (FRIN) catchments areas in the study area. A total of 444 respondents were selected for the study. Data on information sources and awareness were collected using a structured interview schedule. Analysis involved use of descriptive statistics and Pearson product-moment correlation. Predominant sources of FRT information were forestry staff (95.5%) and relatives (66.2%). Most farmers (91.7%) were aware of windbreaks, 89.9% each were aware of taungya and fuelwood production while 83.0% was aware of alley farming. Farmers’ information sources is significantly related to their awareness of FRT (r= 0.40, p< 0.01). It was concluded that farmers’ information sources affect their awareness of FRTs. It was therefore recommended that information sources on FRTs should be improved upon in order to enhance farmers’ awareness of them.