Empirical Assessment of Missing Link in Agricultural Technology Development and Transfer Nexus in Nigeria

Abstract

Governments and Non-Governmental Organisation (NGOs) focussed on the funding of research but neglect a very crucial issue of the transfer of technologies.   Unfortunately, most of these technologies invented end up on bookshelves which might be as a result of missing linkage between the researchers, extension organizations and farmers. Therefore, the study focussed on factors associated with the missing link among researchers, extension workers and farmers in technology development and transfer. The study was carried out in the south-western part of Nigeria. The study employed the use of an interview schedule for farmers and questionnaire for extension personnel and researchers. A simple random sampling technique was used to select 398 respondents which include 80 researchers, 85 extension agents and 233 farmers.Data collected were analysed with descriptive statistics and correlation coefficient. The findings revealed that most (61%) of the selected technologies developed by research institutions were not known to the farmers.  About 21% out of 39% of farmers that were aware of the technologies were still using it while 18% had discontinued the usage.  Factors associated with research-extension-farmers missing link include package of recommendations not suitable for farmers (researcher 95.7%, extension agents 84.3% and farmers 95.1%); time lag between the availability of research findings and their application by the farmer (research (64.2%) extension workers (73.2%) and farmers (80%)), wages and salary differential (researchers (65.4%) and extension workers (78.3%)) and inadequate funds (researcher 90.4% and extension workers (95.3%)). The linkage strength could be influenced by the personal and psychological factors of personnel involved in research and dissemination. The gap that exists between the technologies invented and those that have been accepted by farmers has to be bridged by developing stronger links between researchers, extension personnel and the farmers by government agencies. Keywords — Extension workers, farmers, linkage, researchers, research development, technology transfer.