INFLUENCE OF AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION SERVICES ON FARMERS’ ADOPTION OF AGRICULTURAL TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATIONS FOR FOOD SECURITY IN BAUCHI STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

Agricultural extension plays a vital role in the transfer and dissemination of agricultural technologies and innovations among farmers. The need for extension services became very necessary in order to provide farmers with information that can solve widespread agricultural problems. This study determined the influence of agricultural extension service on farmer’s adoption of agricultural technological innovation for food security in Bauchi state, Nigeria. Descriptive survey design was adopted for the study. The researcher sampled 500 farmers that registered with Bauchi State Agricultural Development Programme in Bauchi State out of 64,624 for data collection. The instrument for data collection was 4-points scale structured questionnaire titled Agricultural Extension and Farmer’s Technological Adoption (AEFTA). Pilot test was conducted using 50 registered farmers in Plateau state. A Cronbach’s alpha reliability coefficient of 0.88 was obtained. Data were collected and entered into Statistical Package of Social Science version 25 for analysis. Mean scores and standard deviations were used to answer the research questions and Linear Regression (LR) was employed in the test of research hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance. The result of the study indicated that the services of agricultural extension agents have significantly influences on acceptability and utilization of technological innovation for food security in Bauchi State, Nigeria. It was concluded that the services of extension agents have been very effective on farmers’ adoption of technology for food security in the state. It was recommended among others that Extension Agents should provide orientation programme that would educate farmers on the benefits of adopting modern agricultural technologies for food security in Bauchi state.