A study on the Training Needs Assessment of extension agents in Nigeria
has revealed several gaps and constraints that have hitherto limited the
effectiveness of extension service in the country.
Findings from the study, which was recently presented in a paper titled:
‘The Capacity of Extension Staff in Managing Weeds in Cassava Systems
in Nigeria’ in Nanning, China, during the World Congress on Root and
Tuber Crops’ revealed that unless extension workers have the capacity to
transfer improved knowledge on weed control in cassava, farmers will
not be able to maximize the benefits of improved weed management
technologies.
A Communication and Knowledge Exchange expert at the International
Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Ibadan, Nigeria, Godwin Atser,
who presented the paper, also noted that the current farmer-extension
ratio of one extension worker to 3011 farm families was a major
constraint limiting the effectiveness of extension system in Nigeria.
“The ratio of one extension worker to over 3,000 farmers drastically
fell short of the target of the Nigerian government to have one
agricultural extension worker attached to 800 farmers, posing a serious
challenge to the agricultural transformation agenda of the government,”
he explained.
Atser said that apart from the grossly inadequate number of extension
workers, his study indicated that the existing workers were older,
lacked capacity development as a result of underfunding and basic
requirements, causing inefficiency.
The study, which was funded by the IITA Cassava Weed Management Project
specifically, investigated the capabilities of extension staff of
Agricultural Development Programmes (ADPs) in weed management in cassava
systems in Nigeria.
“The findings of the study,” Atser said, “showed that more than 80 per
cent of extension staff have not had training that specifically targets
weed management in cassava.
“There is knowledge gap on weed identification, types of herbicides,
cassava varietal identification, and computer skills among extension
staff.
“Furthermore, the extension system in Nigeria is male dominated and
majority are 50 years and above. Radio, telephone and group discussion
were the most used communication channels for technology transfer to
farmers by extension staff.”
He recommended training of extension staff on sustainable management of
weeds in cassava systems with specific emphasis on weed identification,
herbicides use and application, cassava varietal identification, gender
and computer skills.
Atser concluded by calling for recruitment of young, educated and
upwardly mobile agricultural extension workers in Nigeria, with
intensive capacity development to meet up with the need for effective
dissemination of information to farmers on new technologies, varieties
and market opportunities. "This Day News paper, Thursday 18th March, 2016".
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