The commodity association traders/trainers extension approach: Smallholder productivity, input and market linkages in Nigeria

Q3 Social Sciences
G. Atser, M. Oluoch, A. Gambo, HZ Diso, O. Fadairo, AA Jibrin
{"title":"The commodity association traders/trainers extension approach: Smallholder productivity, input and market linkages in Nigeria","authors":"G. Atser, M. Oluoch, A. Gambo, HZ Diso, O. Fadairo, AA Jibrin","doi":"10.18697/ajfand.128.24320","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"The Commodity Association Traders/Trainers (CATs) extension approach was an initiative of the Sasakawa Africa Association (SAA) to address the challenges of the low margin of agricultural extension agents and farm family ratio in Nigeria. This study, therefore, provides an assessment of the initiative in supporting agricultural extension service delivery in Nigeria. The study was carried out in Kano, Jigawa, Nasarawa and Gombe states, Nigeria being the four major states where the CATs extension approach was tested. The study used a causal research design involving before and after intervention assessment of 396 beneficiary farmers. Data collected using semi-structured questionnaire were analysed using descriptive statistics and linear regression at α0.05. Majority of the farmers were male (71.5%), middle-aged (42.59±10.91 years) and had small to moderate household sizes (63.4%). Maize (77.6%) and Rice (57.3%) were the foremost crops grown. The farmers received extension service support from CATs in a broad area, including innovation dissemination, training on Good Agricultural Practices, linkage to agro-input dealers, market and credit. About 63.0-86.0% were positive about most aspects of engagement with the CATs except for payment of fees for services received and connecting farmers to credit. The number of farmers that practiced market-oriented agriculture doubled. The number of agribusiness enterprises established and the number of farmers successfully linked to off-takers for their produce also rose from an average of 3 to 8 persons; and 4 to 14 persons per group, respectively. The volume of maize crop marketed through cooperative efforts increased from 7.64±5.15 Kg to 15.66±6.94 Kg per person in each group. Farmers' size of land cultivated, their total produce harvested and productivity for maize and paddy increased after being members of the CATs group. Being male, young, educated, having ease of access to CATs master trainers and farmers' motivation enhanced the performance of the CATs extension approach. The commodity association trainers/traders have enhanced extension services in the project states. The initiative is recommended for up-scaling to cover other regions of Nigeria. Key words: Agricultural extension, Farmers’ group, Sasakawa Nigeria, Market-oriented agriculture","PeriodicalId":7710,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Food, Agriculture, Nutrition and Development","volume":"22 11","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0000,"publicationDate":"2024-04-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"African Journal of Food, Agriculture, Nutrition and Development","FirstCategoryId":"1085","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.18697/ajfand.128.24320","RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":null,"ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q3","JCRName":"Social Sciences","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0

Abstract

The Commodity Association Traders/Trainers (CATs) extension approach was an initiative of the Sasakawa Africa Association (SAA) to address the challenges of the low margin of agricultural extension agents and farm family ratio in Nigeria. This study, therefore, provides an assessment of the initiative in supporting agricultural extension service delivery in Nigeria. The study was carried out in Kano, Jigawa, Nasarawa and Gombe states, Nigeria being the four major states where the CATs extension approach was tested. The study used a causal research design involving before and after intervention assessment of 396 beneficiary farmers. Data collected using semi-structured questionnaire were analysed using descriptive statistics and linear regression at α0.05. Majority of the farmers were male (71.5%), middle-aged (42.59±10.91 years) and had small to moderate household sizes (63.4%). Maize (77.6%) and Rice (57.3%) were the foremost crops grown. The farmers received extension service support from CATs in a broad area, including innovation dissemination, training on Good Agricultural Practices, linkage to agro-input dealers, market and credit. About 63.0-86.0% were positive about most aspects of engagement with the CATs except for payment of fees for services received and connecting farmers to credit. The number of farmers that practiced market-oriented agriculture doubled. The number of agribusiness enterprises established and the number of farmers successfully linked to off-takers for their produce also rose from an average of 3 to 8 persons; and 4 to 14 persons per group, respectively. The volume of maize crop marketed through cooperative efforts increased from 7.64±5.15 Kg to 15.66±6.94 Kg per person in each group. Farmers' size of land cultivated, their total produce harvested and productivity for maize and paddy increased after being members of the CATs group. Being male, young, educated, having ease of access to CATs master trainers and farmers' motivation enhanced the performance of the CATs extension approach. The commodity association trainers/traders have enhanced extension services in the project states. The initiative is recommended for up-scaling to cover other regions of Nigeria. Key words: Agricultural extension, Farmers’ group, Sasakawa Nigeria, Market-oriented agriculture
商品协会贸易商/培训人员推广方法:尼日利亚小农生产力、投入和市场联系
商品协会贸易商/培训师(CATs)推广方法是笹川非洲协会(SAA)为应对尼日利亚农业推广人员和农户比例偏低的挑战而采取的一项举措。因此,本研究对这一支持尼日利亚农业推广服务提供的举措进行了评估。本研究在尼日利亚的卡诺、吉加瓦、纳萨拉瓦和贡贝州进行,这四个州是 CATs 推广方法进行测试的主要地区。研究采用因果研究设计,对 396 名受益农民进行了干预前后评估。通过半结构式问卷收集的数据采用描述性统计和线性回归进行了分析,α0.05。大多数农户为男性(71.5%)、中年(42.59±10.91 岁)和中小规模家庭(63.4%)。主要种植玉米(77.6%)和水稻(57.3%)。农民们从农业技术中心获得了广泛的推广服务支持,包括创新传播、良好农业规范培训、与农业投入经销商的联系、市场和信贷。约 63.0%-86.0%的农民对与农业技术中心合作的大多数方面持肯定态度,但对支付服务费和为农民联系信贷除外。实行市场导向型农业的农民人数翻了一番。建立农业企业的数量和成功为其产品与承购商建立联系的农民数量也分别从平均每组 3 人和 4 人增加到 8 人和 14 人。通过合作销售玉米作物的数量从每组每人 7.64±5.15 公斤增加到 15.66±6.94 公斤。加入 CATs 小组后,农民的耕地面积、总产量以及玉米和水稻的生产率都有所提高。男性、年轻、受过教育、容易接触到 CATs 主培训师以及农民的积极性都提高了 CATs 推广方法的效果。商品协会培训师/贸易商加强了项目州的推广服务。建议将该倡议推广到尼日利亚其他地区。关键词农业推广、农民团体、尼日利亚笹川、市场导向型农业
本文章由计算机程序翻译,如有差异,请以英文原文为准。
求助全文
约1分钟内获得全文 求助全文
来源期刊
African Journal of Food, Agriculture, Nutrition and Development
African Journal of Food, Agriculture, Nutrition and Development Agricultural and Biological Sciences-Agricultural and Biological Sciences (miscellaneous)
CiteScore
0.90
自引率
0.00%
发文量
124
审稿时长
24 weeks
期刊介绍: The African Journal of Food, Agriculture, Nutrition and Development (AJFAND) is a highly cited and prestigious quarterly peer reviewed journal with a global reputation, published in Kenya by the Africa Scholarly Science Communications Trust (ASSCAT). Our internationally recognized publishing programme covers a wide range of scientific and development disciplines, including agriculture, food, nutrition, environmental management and sustainable development related information.
×
引用
GB/T 7714-2015
复制
MLA
复制
APA
复制
导出至
BibTeX EndNote RefMan NoteFirst NoteExpress
×
提示
您的信息不完整,为了账户安全,请先补充。
现在去补充
×
提示
您因"违规操作"
具体请查看互助需知
我知道了
×
提示
确定
请完成安全验证×
copy
已复制链接
快去分享给好友吧!
我知道了
右上角分享
点击右上角分享
0
联系我们:info@booksci.cn Book学术提供免费学术资源搜索服务,方便国内外学者检索中英文文献。致力于提供最便捷和优质的服务体验。 Copyright © 2023 布克学术 All rights reserved.
京ICP备2023020795号-1
ghs 京公网安备 11010802042870号
Book学术文献互助
Book学术文献互助群
群 号:481959085
Book学术官方微信