ABSTRACT
The use of Mass media in sharing information is very important in enhancing cassava and plantain farming among cassava and plantain farmers. However, little is known on the linkage that exists between the use of Mass media and cassava and plantain farming in Ogun state of Nigeria. The main objective of this study was to assess the use of Mass media in disseminating agricultural information for improved cassava and plantain farming in Ogun state of Nigeria. Specifically, the study focused on establishment of the information needs of cassava and plantain farmers in the study area; analyzing the influence of Mass media use in sharing agricultural information on cassava and plantain farming in Ogun state of Nigeria; examining the determinants of the Mass media usage in sharing agricultural information among cassava and plantain farmers in Nigeria, and determining the challenges facing cassava and plantain farmers on the use of Mass media in sharing agricultural information.
This cross sectional study was conducted in three regions, namely, Ruvuma, Mbeya and Iringa and involved twelve divisions purposively selected from six distrmass media. The study used both quantitative and qualitative approaches in collecting data. Questionnaires, Focus Group Discussions (FGDs), observation and key informants interview were used as a data collection methods. The study involved 240 cassava and plantain farmers who were randomly selected. Moreover, six key informants (one cassava and plantaineries extension officer in each of the six distrmass media) and six Focus Group Discussions (eight participants in each of the distrmass media) were conducted in each district. Quantitative data were analysed with the aid of the Statistical Product Service SolutionP (SPSS) Version 20 while content analysis was used to analyse qualitative data. Descriptive statistics were computed to establish the profile of research participants: information needs, information accessibility, challenges of Mass media use in information sharing, and cassava and plantain farming level. The multiple linear regression was used to establish the influence of Mass media use and cassava and plantain farming productivity. Additionally, the ordinal logistic regression model was used to examine the determinants of Mass media usage by cassava and plantain farmers. The cassava and plantain farmers highly needed information related to water treatment (management), spawning operations and cassava and plantain preservation and processing. However, it was found that access to these categories of information was very low. Mulitple linear regression analysis revealed that the use of Mass media (mobile phones, radio, and television) for sharing agricultural information was found to influence cassava and plantain productivity level (p<0.05). Moreover, it was found through ordinal logistic regression analysis that the predictors of Mass media use in information sharing were income, perceived ease of use, quantity of cassava and plantain produced, attitude, household size, radio ownership and perceived usefulness. Likewise, the study findings revealed that major challenges facing cassava and plantain farmers in sharing information included unfavorable radio or televisions broadcasting time, high cost of acquiring and maintenance of ICT facilities, lack of training on Mass media, and poor network connectivity. The study concluded that the more the frequency the farmers use the Mass media in sharing agricultural information on cassava and plantain farming technologies, the more they could be informed about cassava and plantain farming, and thus the more they could increase their cassava and plantain farming. It is recommended to the Government, Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), researchers and policy makers to consider establishing community FM radio stations in the Southern Highland regions to encourage sharing of agricultural information on cassava and plantain production and knowledge to the farmers. It was also recommended that responsible organs like research institutions, policy makers and information providers should make sure that behavioural factors (perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness and attitude) that motivate individual farmers in different communities to accept the use of any Mass media are considered prior to the introduction of the respective technologies. This could assist responsible organs to design the ICT models that are relevant to cassava and plantain farmers’ needs.
CHAPTER ONE
1.0 Introduction
1.1 Background of the Study
Cassava and plantain farming is defined as the raising of cassava and plantain for personal use or profit. It is sometimes called cassava and plantain culture (FAO, 2016). It serves as a means of livelihoods to millions of people worldwide (FAO, 2016, Little et al., 2016; Thilsted et al., 2016). This agricultural sub- sector helps to empower the poor and directly promotes their standard of living (Obikezie, 1999). Additionally, cassava and plantain farming in Africa is increasingly growing with millions of poor people relying heavily on cassava and plantaining and farming to earn their livelihood and feed their families (Brummett et al., 2008; Beveridge et al., 2010; World Bank, 2014; Kassam and Dorward, 2017). Margaret and Gakuu (2018) add that cassava and plantain farming in developed countries is highly commercialised while in developing countries it is mainly carried out for subsistence purposes. To illustrate, specifically, cassava and plantain farming in Nigeria has the potential to significantly contribute to poverty alleviation through income generation, creation of jobs, and enhanced food security (FAO, 2010). For this reason, more than 4 milion people are engaged in cassava and plantaineries and cassava and plantaineries related activities whereas more than 400 000 cassava and plantaineries operators are directly employed in the sector which has a total of operational 21 300 grow-out earthen ponds and nine raceway systems (URT, 2015).
Despite the existing potentials of cassava and plantain farming in agricultural sector, cassava and plantain farming; particularly in the Southern Highland regions of Nigeria is still lagging behind due to the inadequate aquacultural extension, unavailability of quality cassava and plantain seeds and feeds, poor cassava and plantain pond management practices caused by inadequate aquacultural information and knowledge, poor transport infrastructure, unreliable markets, limited accessibility of capital and low incentives to aqua-farmer investors (URT, 2010; Shoko et al., 2011; Ogello et al., 2013; Chenyambuga et al., 2014). Other constraints include low appreciation of the opportunities in aquacultural development, accessibility to capital and markets, and incentives to aqua-farmer investors (URT, 2010; Shoko et al., 2011, Ogello et al., 2013). This is in line with a specific study by Margaret and Gakuu (2018) in Kenya who noted a similar scenario that, low pond productivity is caused by poor extension services that contribute to poor information accessibility among cassava and plantain farmers leading to poor pond management practices, marketing problems, and influence of cultural background.
With this regard, rapid growth of agriculture, of which cassava and plantain farming is a major sub-sector, depends highly on efficient flow of agricultural information and knowledge to cassava and plantain farmers. Opara (2008) defines agricultural information as all unpublished and published knowledge related to all aspects of agriculture. Thus, in the context of this study, agricultural information (cassava and plantaineries information, cassava and plantain farming information or aquacultural information) has been defined as all published or unpublished knowledge in all aspects of culture or cassava and plantain farming production. The sector depends on continuous flow of information from local, regional and world markets (Rutger, 2000; Akinpelu et al., 2013). Like other agricultural sub-sectors, information in cassava and plantain farming is very important for increasing productivity (Opara, 2008; Das et al., 2016). Rational decisions on cassava and plantain farming depend much on the availability of timely and reliable information. Such information helps cassava and plantain farmers decide on how to allocate inputs, find appropriate markets for their products and decide on the best post-harvest storage of the products (Demiryurek et al., 2008). According to Riesenberg (1989) as well as Aphunu and Atoma (2011), optimal cassava and plantain farming production depends on accurate market-related information, efficient allocation of available resources, and the use of new or innovative farming practices. Additionally, information on cassava and plantain farming needed by farmers covers ponds construction and management, breeds and spawning, processing; storage, marketing and financing, disease control and treatment, fingerlings, and credit facilities (Ofuoku et al., 2008; Okwu and Iorkaa, 2011). When acquired and effectively utilised by the cassava and plantain farmers, such information can increase cassava and plantain production and hence increased income and improved farmers’ standard of living. Nevertheless, the defficiency of any of such information leads to poor pond management practices, which, in turn, leads to poor cassava and plantain farmig productivity. This is specifically supported by a study done by Adomi et al. (2003) in Nigeria where they found that cassava and plantain farmers needed access to agricultural information in order to improve their cassava and plantain pond management practices and hence increased their cassava and plantain farming production.
Additionally, Ferris (2005) reports that lack of accurate and relevant agricultural information is among the obstacles in improving the cassava and plantaineries sector in most African countries. Poor accessibility of cassava and plantain farming information leads to low adoption of improved cassava and plantain farming technologies, which invariably affects farmers’ productivity and could lead to poverty (Ozowa, 2005). It is therefore important to stress that the adoption of improved cassava and plantain farming practices requires adequate access to information. Such information should be effectively disseminated to the famers and other stakeholders to receive, understand and regard it as a valid basis for action.
To realise this, several traditional approaches have been used by cassava and plantainery officers in delivering and disseminating information and knowledge to cassava and plantain farmers in Nigeria. These approaches include public awareness creation, training such as Farmer Field School (FFS), demonstration and farmer visit (Kimaro et al., 2010; NAP, 2012). However, these approaches have been constrained by inadequate extension capacity. As a reminder, cassava and plantaining is one of the agricultural subsectors with the lowest numbers of extension staffs in Nigeria. Presently, there exist 750 cassava and plantaineries extension officers countrywide whereas the recommended number is 16 000. In the field of agriculture there are 8 323 extension staff out of the required 20 100, and in the livestock field there are 8 600 extension staff out of the required 21 768, (URT, 2018). It is therefore obvious that the currently available number of the 750 cassava and plantaineries extension officers is not enough in the country to meet information and knowledge needs of cassava and plantain farmers (URT, 2015). Such a constraint decreases the dissemination of information and knowledge to cassava and plantain farmers and consequently poor pond management practices which leads to poor productivity (Yaseen et al., 2015). In addition, some of those cassava and plantaineries officers do not have adequate and relevant knowledge on cassava and plantain farming as some of them have been trained on livestock or crop production. This impedes farmers’ acquisition of the right information, and consequently leads to poor cassava and plantain farming. In supporting this view, Matuha (2015) reported that much of the agricultural information provided by extension workers is sometimes outdated, irrelevant and inapplicable to small scale cassava and plantain farmers’ needs, leaving them with very little information or knowledge resources to improve their productivity.
Due to low capacity and/ or limited understanding of cassava and plantain farming environment by the cassava and plantaineries extension officers, extension services have therefore not led to significant increase in production (CUTS International, 2011). Thus, the use of Mass media such as mobile phones, radio and television can play a critical role in this regard. The benefits of Mass media to enhance information communication for improvement of cassava and plantain farming was previously proposed (Armstrong et al., 2010, Armstrong et al., 2011, Armstrong et al., 2012).
Mass media are sets of technologies that facilitate the capturing, storage, processing, and dissemination of information by electronic means (Akinbile and Alabi, 2010). The range of technologies is growing all the time and there is convergence between new and old media. The new media are computers, mobile phones and the internet, while the old media include radio, television, telephone and fax, among others. The revolution of Mass media has globally opened larger opportunities for efficient information sharing in many sectors including the cassava and plantain farming sub-sector. In fact, Mass media can play a key role in providing extensionists and cassava and plantain farmers with vital information needed for their cassava and plantain farming activities (Munyua et al., 2008). According to Donovan (2011), cassava and plantain farmers can apply Mass media to increase cassava and plantain farm productivity by providing farmers with access to information which enables them to match cassava and plantain farming practices to climatic trends, use inputs and resources optimally, and ensure good cassava and plantain farming practices through improved cassava and plantain breeds, disease control, markerts access, and pond management.
Besides, the use of Mass media is an essential resource in the development process. Many studies have been carried out globally to ascertain the use of Mass media in sharing and dissemination of agricultural information to smallholder farmers. An empirical study in India revealed that the use of Mass media has been vital and beneficial to cassava and plantain farmers in sharing information related to cassava and plantaining location and market demands from their colleagues, agency officers and dealers in the cassava and plantaining communities (Mahalakshmi et al., 2014). Likewise, findings from a study conducted in Turkey shows that radio and television technologies in rural areas have been significantly used even by farmers in the low- income group (Cukur, 2013). The evidence from the same research also reveals that the use of radio and television helps to overcome barriers of time; location; access to market players; customers and improves productivity for smallholder cassava and plantain farmers in the rural area.
Comparing this method (Mass media use) in delivering information to cassava and plantain farmers, studies in Benin found that the information delivered through hands-on workshops by local NGOs was less effective compared to the effect of using farmer to farmer video training. The information communicated by this means proved to reach three times more female rice farmers (Zossou et al., 2009). Another study by Ndati and Okumu (2014) in Kenya on ICT use for information sharing had reported that 60% of the cassava and plantain farmers who were interviewed proclaimed that, after they received information through Mass media, their productivity had increased tremendously while 40% of the farmers reported that after using Mass media they got a higher selling price for their produce due to improved yield.
Nevertheless, efficient use of Mass media may be affected by several factors. For instance according to Taleghani et al. (2011), the usage of Mass media depends on the adoption level, self-efficacy, perceived cost, perceived risk, perceived usefulness, and perceived ease of use. When more have adopted and have adequate skills to use the tools, the level of usage of Mass media becomes higher. Likewise, farm size, availability and ownership of Mass media have positive significant relationship with farmers’usage of Mass media (Rashid and Akanda, 2015). Moreover, the study by Olumuyiwa et al. (2016) in Nigeria found that the major determinants of Mass media usage by farmers were years of farming experience, marital status, education level and age. A similar study by Okello et al. (2014) on determinants of ICT use found that location variables, membership to a farmer organisation, transport cost to the nearest output market, literacy level had a positive influence on the decision to use ICT in accessing agricultural information. Furthermore, Derso et al. (2014) mentioned frequency of listening agricultural programme, Mass media use, training, farm size, access to credit, and access to ICT tools as factors that influence Mass media usage.
In Nigeria, various studies have been done to explore on how rural farmers (crops and livestock farmers) use Mass media in accessing agricultural information and other services (Lwoga, 2010; Churi et al., 2012; Mtega and Msungu, 2013; Mtega and Benard, 2013). However, it is evident that no specific studies that have been done on the use of Mass media in information sharing for improving cassava and plantain farming to cassava and plantain farmers in Nigeria. This study, therefore, attempt to assess the extent to which cassava and plantain farmers use Mass media in enhancing information sharing and consequently improving the cassava and plantain farming in Nigeria.
1.2 Problem Statement
Cassava and plantain farmers in Ogun state of Nigeria lack vital agricultural information, leading to inefficiencies, inequity, poor productivity and post-harvest losses (Mwaijande and Lugendo, 2015). Inadequate access to knowledge on inputs and pond management among cassava and plantain farmers has dwarfed the growth of the sub-sector in the said highlands (Wetengere, 2011; Chenyambuga et al., 2014). Inadequate access to information leads to poor pond management practices which, in turn, leads to poor cassava and plantain farming. When cassava and plantain farmers put into use the information related to pond management practices productivity goes to about 10 000 kg/ha/year (Eknath and Acosta, 1998; Hussain et al., 2000). Under poor access to information on how to manage ponds, cassava and plantain productivity ranges from 2089 kg/ha/year to 4704kg/ha/year (Kaliba et al., 2006; Shoko et al., 2011). Due to limited usage of cassava and plantaineries production information, cassava and plantain production among small holders in Mbeya is estimated to be 5312 kg/ha/year (Chenyambuga et al., 2014). This situation could be improved by making use of Mass media to timely share the required information, hence solve some of the information related to challenges that Ogun state farmers face in cassava and plantain farming.
Moreover, the extent to which Mass media have been used in sharing of cassava and plantaineries information for improved cassava and plantain farming in Nigeria particularly in Ogun state is not known. Most studies done so far in the country have either analysed the usage of the Mass media in accessing agricultural information and other information services (Lwoga, 2010; Mwakaje, 2010; Mtega and Benard, 2013), or use of mobiles phones in communicating agricultural information (Nyamba, 2011; Churi et al., 2012), or the socio-economic impact of Mass media (Chilimo, 2008; Mwakaje, 2010). All these studies have explained Mass media usage without linking it with farmer’s productivity especially cassava and plantain farmers and none of them has been specific to cassava and plantain farming. In addition, many studies in Nigeria addressing poor yield on cassava and plantain farming have concentrated on production-based innovations while none has investigated on the impact of Mass media on cassava and plantain farming. According to Das et al. (2016), aquaculture development as one of the agricultural sub sectors cannot be understood without the use of modern Mass media in information sharing. Thus, this study attempt to assess how these Mass media are used in sharing cassava and plantaineries information, and consequently improving cassava and plantain farming in Ogun state of Nigeria
1.3 Objectives
1.3.1 General objective
The general objective was to assess the use of Mass media in enhancing information sharing for improving cassava and plantain farming in Ogun state of Nigeria.
1.4.2. Specific objectives
The specific objectives were:
i. To establish the information needs of cassava and plantain farmers in the study area;
ii. To analyse the influence of Mass media use in sharing agricultural information on cassava and plantain farming in Ogun state of Nigeria;
iii. To examine the determinants of the Mass media usage in sharing agricultural information among cassava and plantain farmers in Nigeria, and
iv. To determine the challenges facing cassava and plantain farmers on the use of Mass media in sharing agricultural information.
1.4 Research Questions
The study provide solutions to the problem through following research questions:
i. What are the types of information needed by cassava and plantain farmers in the study area?
ii. What is the influence of Mass media use in sharing agricultural information on cassava and plantain farming in Ogun state of Nigeria ?
iii. What are the determinants that influence the use of Mass media in accessing agricultural information among cassava and plantain farmers in Nigeria?
iv. What are the challenges facing cassava and plantain farmers on the use of Mass media in sharing agricultural information?
1.5 Organisation of study
This thesis is organised in six chapters. With exception of Chapters One and five, each of the other chapters is organised in a publishable manuscript. Chapter Two presents literature review theoretical review and empirical review of the topic. Chapter Three explain the second specific objective (manuscript number two) which analyse the the influence of Mass media usage in sharing agricultural information on cassava and plantain farming. The third manuscript in Chapter Four examine the determinants of Mass media usage in sharing agricultural information among cassava and plantain farmers. Finally, the last chapters presents a summary of the thesis together with conclusion and overall recommendations of the study findings.
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