AKSU Journal of Agricultural Economics, Extension and Rural Development
ISSN(Online): 2736-0040 ISSN(Print): 2695-1975
ISSN(Online): 2736-0040 ISSN(Print): 2695-1975
Abstract
Agricultural information plays a key role in the poultry farming business as the survival of the participants relies on their ability to access innovations and meet the dynamic challenges of the poultry sector. The study analyzed poultry farmers’ information needs in Uyo Agricultural Zone, Nigeria. A multistage sampling technique was used in obtaining data from 200 poultry farmers in the study area. Data were collected using a well-structured questionnaire and analyzed using descriptive statistics, four-point Likert-type-scale, and pearson product moment correlation. The result of socioeconomic characteristics revealed that majority (53.5%) of the respondents were males while 46.5% were dominated by females. Majority (68.5%) of the respondents were married with an average household size of 5 persons. Poultry farmers in the area relied mostly on fellow poultry farmers (23%), poultry input dealers (22.1%), and internet for information (17.4%). The information needs of poultry farmers in the study area include information on drug administration (m=3.61), identification of fake and good poultry drugs (m=3.60). Similarly, the study indicated that farmers’ information needs had a significant relationship between level of education (r = 0.575) and cooperative membership (r=0.660). The major problems limiting poultry production in the study area were high cost of poultry feeds (9.6%) and high cost of poultry drugs (9.5%). Hence, the study recommends that agricultural information disseminated to farmers should be based on their needs in order to boost their production; and agricultural inputs such as poultry feeds and drugs should be subsidized so as to encourage people invest in poultry production.