Prioritizing extension needs of women vegetable farmers: implications for successful extension programming in Nigeria

Abstract

Women continue to form a crucial part of Nigeria’s farming community, not particularly due to their sheer large number but also because of their participation in the production of highly needed food crops such as vegetables. Vegetable production is fast becoming an attractive livelihood alternative among rural and peri-urban farmers in many parts of Nigeria. However, vegetable farming and women farmers generally have so far not received adequate institutional attention in Nigeria. This study investigated the extension needs of women vegetable farmers in Kwara State, north-central Nigeria, with a view to enhancing evidence-based extension programming. Systematic random sampling was used to select 208 women vegetable farmers, while trained enumerators collected relevant data with the aid of a structured questionnaire. The questionnaire consisted of positively presented items on a 4-5 point Likert-type scales. Data analysis revealed that most respondents used traditional low-yielding production and management techniques and consequently earned meager income. Furthermore, less than 30% of them had any previous extension contact. Even though, nearly 60% of respondents were somewhat aware of modern production techniques, only few had tried, and fewer still had adopted up to 40% of the techniques. Respondents’ major perceived adoption constraint was ‘lack of capital’. But their low knowledge level concerning some relatively affordable modern and better result-yielding vegetable production and management techniques was palpable from the data collected. This has limited most of them to wet season vegetable production. The study further revealed that respondents require crucial extension intervention in the areas of farm information sourcing, irrigation, crop protection, soil improvement, storage and marketing. It is imperative that extension should form an integral component of agricultural and rural development initiatives. Skill and knowledge needs of farmers should not only be given priority, but must also be prioritized.