The Nigerian Journal of Rural Extension and Development

Higher education and COVID-19 pandemic: Case study of the Sustainable Integrated Rural Development in Africa (SIRDA) programme

O. S. Fadairo — 2025-02-26

The need to document how the Sustainable Integrated Rural Development in Africa (SIRDA) programme has been differently or similarly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic when it is compared with most conventional higher educational programmes informed this study on higher education and COVID-19 pandemic: case study of the SIRDA programme. The study was carried out in two West Africa Universities namely, the University of Ibadan and Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology. Data was collected from 56 SIRDA students using structured questionnaires which were administered online using google forms. The 56 SIRDA students were selected using a census sampling technique. Data was analysed using percentages. Respondents (83.3%) were mostly male and 50.0% of them heard of the programme from friends/relatives. Goal 17 of the SDGs reflected the most in SIRDA-taught courses and learning involving mainly course work, research projects, and seminars/conferences. Knowledge delivery for the SIRDA programme was modified to accommodate virtual methods (83.3%) during the COVID-19 crisis, while some essential components such as field practicum could not be implemented. Students were generally poorly involved in the Education for Sustainable Development (ESDA) governance issues and were mostly uncertain (66.7%) of what would be the long-run effect of COVID-19 on the SIRDA programme. The study concluded that COVID-19 caused major disruptions to SIRDA programme, especially in implementing some components such as fieldwork. It is recommended that SIRDA curriculum review process should focus attention amongst others, on developing a flexible curriculum that can be taught in person or online and that can switch between face-to-face and remote learning.

Analysis of factors influencing the adoption of tomato post-harvest technologies among smallholder farmers in Katsina state, Nigeria

I. Tafida — 2025-02-26

The study analysed the factors influencing the adoption of tomato postharvest technologies among smallholder farmers in Katsina State, Nigeria. A multistage sampling procedure was used to select 162 smallholder tomato farmers for the study. The data was analysed using frequencies, percentages, means and logit regression. Tomato farmers were predominantly male (85.0%), had a mean age of 39 years, a mean household size of 10 persons and a mean farm size of 0.7 hectares. Limited availability (44%), low capacity (94%), high initial capital (75%) and labour intensive (50.6%) were identified as the major constraints militating against the adoption of the technologies in the study area. The results of the logit regression show that regression coefficients of household size and distance to the nearest market were positive and significant at 1% in influencing the adoption of harvesting at turning stage and Zero Energy Cooling Chamber (ZECC), while age, farming experience, farm size, year of formal education, membership of association, participation in training and extension contacts were positive and significant at 5% for Solar dryer, Harvesting at turning stage, Reusable Plastic Crate (RPC) and ZECC, respectively, where farm size was positive and significant at 10% in the adoption of RPC. Farmers’ socio-economic characteristics had positive and significant influence on the adoption of tomato postharvest technologies in the study area. The study therefore recommended that tomato postharvest technologies such as RPCs and Solar dryer should be made available and accessible to smallholder farmers.

Gender differentials of participation in political activities among farming households in Oke-Ogun region of Oyo state, Nigeria

L. A. Oyebode — 2025-02-26

The study investigated gender differentials of participating in political activities among farming households in Oke - Ogun region of Oyo state. In all, a total of 135 farming households were sampled, with 54 female-headed households and 81 male-headed households sampled using multi-stage sampling procedure. Data was analysed using percentages, mean, correlational analysis and t-test at 5% level of significance. There was marginal difference in the prominent political activities participated in by both male and female respondents, these activities were voting during elections (= 1.37, = 0.90), registering under a political party (= 0.73, = 0.55), sponsoring and supporting candidates (= 0.58, = 0.55). The male respondents identified engagement of community members in politics (= 1.89) and the ability to serve as pressure groups (= 1.43), while the female respondents identified that the present system accommodates female engagement in governance at local, state and/or national level (= 2.36) as factors motivating participation in political activities. There was favourable perception of politics by male (74.1%) and female (59.3%) gender. Inverse relationship (r= -0.216, p=0.014) was established between limitations to participation in political activities for the female respondents. Significant difference (t= 21.784, p= 0.000) was established in participation in political activities across gender. In view of the foregoing, the study recommends gender peculiarity in the design of political activities in a bid to accommodate and enhance gender participation.

Proclivity to use interactive voice response as information and communication technology tool for extension service delivery in Lagos state, Nigeria

P. O. Eluchie — 2025-02-26

The Interactive Voice Response (IVR) system is an automated telephone technology that employs a computer-generated voice to engage callers' input. It holds significant global recognition as a potent Information and Communication Technology (ICT) tool, particularly in facilitating communication between farmers and extension service providers worldwide. In Nigeria, despite the notable deficit in extension agent-farmer interaction, IVR as an alternative for extension service delivery remains largely unused. Thus, extension agents’ proclivity to use interactive voice response as an ICT tool for extension service delivery was investigated. Using multistage sampling procedure, a total of 97 Extension Agents (EAs) were used as samples for the study. Data were analysed using percentages, means and Pearson’s product moment correlation at ?_0.05. Respondents’ age was 46±0.91 years, the majority were married (80.4%), had Bachelor’s degrees (53.6%) with professional experience of 13.7±8.2 years, and were mainly in the senior cadre (46.4%). Airtel was the primary service provider for internet connection of IVR ( =1.60). A larger (51.5%) proportion of the respondents had a favourable perception towards IVR use in Extension Service Delivery (ESD) and the IVR perceived benefits were high for 60.8% of the EAs. More than half of the EAs expressed high proclivity to use IVR. Respondents’ age (r= -0.156) and years of experience (r= 0.262). were significantly related to proclivity to IVR. A significant relationship existed between respondents’ perception and proclivity to use IVR (r = 0.424). Extension agents in Lagos State showed a positive inclination toward using IVR for extension delivery systems. To harness its benefits, stakeholders should prioritise IVR integration to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of agricultural extension services, fostering better outcomes for farmers.

The determinants of employability among final-year students at the federal university of agriculture, Abeokuta

A. F. O. Ayinde — 2025-02-26

The study examined the determinants of employability among final year students of Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB). The study population comprised of the all the final year students of FUNAAB. A multistage sampling procedure was used to collect information from 150 respondents in agricultural colleges of the University. Study data were analysed using percentages, mean, Chi square and regression analyses . The study reveals that the mean age of the respondents was 24.51(±2.26) years. Female students were more (59.4%) in the sample of respondents drawn for this study. Respondents perceived communication skills as the most important (=4.5) for a good job placement after graduation. Majority (90.40%) of the respondents perceived that the employability indices of the job market were favourable to them. Self-motivation and commitment (=4.57), self-confidence (=4.45) and mature attitude (=4.36) were some of the indices of employability possessed by the respondents. There was a significant relationship between employability and career path (?2 =70.089, df=36, p<0.01) as well as students’ CGPA (r = 0.196, p<0.05). Also, technical skills (?=0.249, p< 0.01), communication skills (?=0.285, p< 0.01), and other skills (?=0.244, p< 0.05) were factors associated with the employability indices possessed by the respondents. The study concluded that employability of final year students in the university is largely dependent on their possession of employability skills. This study recommended among others that; institutions should endeavour to integrate employability skills training into their curriculum.

Factors influencing migrations and settlement among pastoralists in Kaduna state, Nigeria

D. Wyork — 2025-02-26

This study was carried out to investigate the factors influencing migration and settlement of pastoralists in Kaduna State, Nigeria focusing on Ladduga Grazing Reserve and Kwanan Dutse a pastoralist village both located in Kachia Local Government Area (LGA) of Kaduna State Nigeria. Purposive and randomised sampling techniques were used to select participants inside the grazing reserve; while a purposive and exponential snowballing sampling technique used to gather data outside the grazing reserve (KwananDutse), resulting in a sample size of 116 and 57 respectively. This study is based on choice model which gives a data-driven nuanced understanding of factors that influence pastoralist’s decision making and utility as they choose between settling in grazing reserves or traditional pastoralism. Thereafter, the study employed close-ended questionnaires to collect the data and analysed using binary logistic regression model. The findings show that pasture and water, livestock pests and diseases and conflict were the key drivers of migration (permanent and temporary) both inside and outside reserve. Specifically, herders with access to pasture and water had 26.7% and 13.2 % higher odds of permanent migration both inside and outside reserve compared to those without access, respectively. Likewise, herders who experienced livestock pests and diseases had 21.7% higher odds of migration inside the reserve and 1.1% higher odds outside the reserve compared to those without pest and diseases. In the same manner, herders who experience conflict had 44% and 14.2% higher odd of permanent migration both inside and outside reserve compared to those who do not experience, respectively. On the other hand, alternative market emerges as a non-significant factor both inside (odd ratio=0.196, p=0.131) and outside (odd ratio=0.316, p=0.524) reserve, possibly due to availability of local markets and informal value chains.

Full edition Vol. 16 No. 1 (2024)

NJRED Editorial — 2025-02-26

Complete edition.