International Journal of Agricultural Science Research and Technology in Extension and Education Systems
Volume:10 Issue: 4, Sep 2020

The primary objective of this research is to examine the contributions of co-operatives on rural household agricultural productivity. Multistage sampling was employed in the random selection of 120 co-operators and non-cooperators respectively. But only 115 co-operators and non-cooperators were utilized for the study. The active mean age of 42 years and married female rural households with secondary educational level obtained their sources of credit facilities from co-operatives. The study also revealed that most rural households with an increase in livestock and crop production obtained their sources of credit from co-operatives. The study also revealed that rural households have constraints in obtaining credits from conventional banks. The study recommends that government policies should be geared towards agricultural co-operatives to increase food productivity and food security. The study also recommends that the government should put enabling laws to enforce conventional banks to provide soft loans via rural households' co-operatives for their farming activities.

The role of tomatoes as nutritive vegetable crop in the diet of most humans has been stressed or advanced by many scientists. This study therefore, assessed the profitability of tomato production using organic and inorganic fertilisers on a typical irrigated soil in Hong Local Government Area, Adamawa State, Nigeria, with the intent of ensuring a more acceptable measure of sustainability among rural farming communities. A total of 120 (60 in each category) producers were purposely selected from 2016/2017 irrigation season for the study. Data were collected through a cost route method by application of structured questionnaire and complemented with interview and group discussions. Descriptive statistics, Gross Margin Analysis and Net Farm Income were engaged in the analysis of data. Findings showed that most of the farmers were married males aged between 31 and 60 years with farming experience ranging from 11 – 20 years. A larger proportion of the farmers had first school leaving certificates and cultivated less than a hectare of farmland. While the most popular organic fertilisers among the farmers were cow dung and small ruminant droppings, Nitrogen-Phosphorus-Potassium 15-15-15 (NPK) fertiliser was largely applied among the respondents. The returns on Naira (₦) invested for users of organic and inorganic fertilisers were 2.5 and 0.73, respectively, signifying that the former farms were more profitable. Conclusively, it can be stated that the application of organic fertilisers yielded more profit than the chemical fertilisers. Therefore, institutions of concern should strongly work towards making the application of organic fertilisers more popular.

Organic agriculture (OA) includes a comprehensive production management system that is considered as one of the strategies to reduce negative impacts of industrial agriculture in many countries. This research was identifying factors affecting the development of OA in Ardabil province. A descriptive– correlation survey approach was used in this study. Participants were agricultural specialists of Jihad Keshavarzai organization in the province of Ardabil- Iran (N=313). Research samples was selected using randomly stratified method with using Cochran formula (n= 126). Questionnaire reliability was determined by pilot test out of the main sample (Cornbach’s alpha). Validity of instrument was determined by investigating the attitudes of agricultural specialists in universities of Tehran and Ardabil. The results showed that Specialists’ attitude toward organic agriculture was positive. The results of factor analysis led to the identification of four factors (governmental and policy, infrastructure, extension and education, and economic), accounted for cumulative variance of 62.74 percent.

Compartmentalised extension prohibits the uptake of new technology thereby inhibiting agricultural growth. Extension services aimed at increased agricultural growth should have a market-led and evidence-based pluralistic advisory system that is coordinated by the government’s Agricultural and Technical Services division in response to the needs of farmers. This study sought to assess extension needs of government front line extension workers. The research was conducted in four districts of Zimbabwe. The research used a mix of qualitative and quantitative methods, including a survey and focus group discussions. The Competency Borich Needs Assessment Model to assess the extension competence needs was adopted. The results revealed that the extension officers were slightly above moderate level of competency in 10 of the 21 agricultural competencies and at moderate level in 1 of the 21 agricultural competencies. Regarding the required level of agricultural competencies needed by extension workers, the results showed a fairly high total mean level (TM = 3.45). Therefore, the extension workers believed that agricultural competencies were moderately needed to be improved. There is greater need to spruce up technical, extension and organisational competencies within the whole structure of Agricultural extension front line staff.

Available data on farmers’ socioeconomic or poverty status have focused on the use of money-metric measure of income and/or expenditure, an approach that has been criticized. An alternative, proposed to assessing households’ welfare has been to use asset indices; unfortunately, there is dearth of such study in Edo state. This study therefore assessed the socioeconomic status (SES) of farming households in Edo state, Nigeriabased on asset formation. Data were collected by means of questionnaire from 394 respondents, randomly selected from the (3) agricultural zones in the state. The data were analyzed using asset index. Using asset indices as a proxy for poverty, the study established that 36.64% of the households had high socioeconomic status (i.e. non-poor), 49.87% were moderately poor while 13.49% were very poor. However, the level of households’ asset formation was constrained by several factors. The study therefore recommended expanding credit allocation to farmers, improving road networks, establishing more agricultural extension contacts with farmers and encouraging the latter to adopt improved farm practices.

A study was conducted to investigate honeybee colonies absconding from beehives and its financial implication among beekeepers in Tabora and Katavi regions, Western Tanzania. Four districts were selected on the basis of adoption of improved beehives. A total of 198 beekeepers were randomly selected for interviews. Data collected from beekeepers using a questionnaire were supplemented with data from focus group discussions and interviews with key informants that included experienced beekeepers, extension workers and subject matter specialists. Drought, presence of bee pests, diseases and predators and shortage of bee forage were identified as major factors causing honeybee colonies to abscond from beehives in the study area. The act of honeybee colonies absconding from hives caused an average annual income loss of TZS 2 894 555.89 (US$ 1822.5) and TZS 1 797 105.02 (US$ 1131.5) among beekeepers using traditional and those using improved beehives, respectively. Such losses were accelerated by beekeepers’ failure to uphold good management practices, especially with respect to undertaking regular follow-ups and cleaning of beehives as well as inappropriate harvesting methods. Inappropriate beekeeping practices were found to be the root causes of honeybee colonies to abscond from hives. As remedies to such losses, beekeepers should be advised to use improved hives and uphold good beekeeping practices. The role of extension service is vital in creating this awareness among beekeepers in the study area. Lessons from this study are also vital to inform policy and practices in the beekeeping sector in Tanzania and beyond.