FARMERS’ USAGE OF AGRO-CLIMATIC INFORMATION IN EKITI STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

This study examined farmers’ usage of agro-climatic information in Ekiti State, Nigeria. Specifically, the study ascertained the socio-economic characteristics of farmers, determined farmers’ access to agro-climatic information, identified the sources of agro-climatic information received by the farmers, determined the extent of utilization of agro-climatic information by farmers, identified the benefits that farmers derive by making use of agro-climatic information and determined the constraints faced by farmers in the usage of agro-climatic information. A multistage sampling procedure was used in selecting two hundred and forty (240) farmers. Primary data were collected from the respondents through the use of interview schedule. Data were analyzed using frequency distribution, percentage, mean statistic, chi-square and correlation. Results of the study showed that the mean age of the farmers was 45 years, majority (86%) were male, married (78.8%) and Christian (68.3%). The mean household size was 7 persons. The major agro-climatic information farmers had access to were: forecast about the onset and cessation of precipitation to help farmers make their farming plans (87.5%), forecast of daily weather of the area (86.3%), information about when to start planting crops (85.4%) and predictions about likelihood of occurrence of natural disasters such as flooding, drought that can bring about economic losses in agricultural production (81.3%). Higher proportion (96.7%) of the farmers sourced for agro-climatic information through the radio (96.7%) and 92.5% through the television. The major agro-climatic information utilized by the farmers were forecast about the onset and cessation of precipitation to help in making their farming plans (83.3%), prediction about the likelihood of occurrence of natural disasters such as flooding, drought that can bring about economic losses in agricultural production (77.5%) and information about the favorable climatic indices to ensure maximum yield (75.8%). The major benefits that farmers derive from the usage of agro- iii climatic information are increased farm output as farmers are able to make informed decisions with the usage of agro-climatic information ( x̄= 1.66), improvement in the quality of yield of crops and livestock produced ( x̄=1.56), usage of agro-climatic information offers great potential which enables farmers to make cost-saving decisions( x̄= 1.55) and usage of agro-climatic information helps in improving the standard of living of farmers ( x̄= 1.52). The major constraints to the usage of agro-climatic information disseminated were impracticability of agro-climatic information that is been disseminated to farmers (x̄=1.72), irregular / poor power supply (x̄=1.62), and airing of agro-climatic information on media at odd times when farmers are not available (x̄=1.62). Findings also revealed that there is no significant association between the some socio-economic characteristics of the respondent’s like farming experience (χ2 = 37.094; P≤0.05), sex (χ2 = 0.155; P≥0.05), marital status (χ2 = 5.086; P≥0.05), religion (χ2 = 3.028; P≥0.05), level of education (χ2 = 2.899; P≥0.05), household size (χ2 = 16.121; P≥0.05) and utilization of agro-climatic information. The study recommended that there is the need for increased information delivery through other method of communication to ensure efficient delivery of agro-climatic information