Extension Access and its Effects on Welfare of Rural Households in Nigeria
Aremu, Toyib
Aremu, Toyib
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Abstract
Improving agricultural productivity for rural farming households is important for many governments, especially in a developing country like Nigeria, where agriculture plays an important role in the economy. Research has tried to understand how access to technology, inputs, and agricultural advice may improve farmers’ welfare. In this study, we use the 2018/2019 (Wave 4) Nigerian General Household Survey to advance understanding of the factors that determine farmers’ access to extension service and if access to agricultural extension is associated with the welfare of rural farming households in Nigeria. With a sample of over 3,400 rural households, we provided evidence that, generally, less educated household heads, female-headed households, and households in southern Nigeria are less likely to access extension service whereas households that use inorganic fertilisers are more likely to use extension service. Our results further indicate that the factors and effects associated with extension access may differ based on geographic location and crops grown by households. These findings suggest that while extension access is generally positively associated with farmers welfare, policies towards improving access to extension need to consider the challenges limiting specific groups of farmers from using extension service so that agricultural advice may improve farmers’ welfare.
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Graduate
Date
2023-01-01