Browsing by Author "Ngufan, Tsafa Tina"

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    Appraisal of Crop Farmers' Access to Agricultural Information for Enhanced Food Security in the COVID-19 Era in Nigeria
    (Department of Mass Communication, Nasarawa State University Keffi, 2020-09-09) Josiah, Sabo Kente; Ternenge, Kusugh; Ngufan, Tsafa Tina
    This study. "Appraisal of Crop Farmers' access to Agricultural Information for Enhanced Food Security in the COVID-19 era in Nigeria” investigated how crop farmers have access to agricultural information and the value of their exposure to such information on food security in the COVID-19 in Nigeria. Specifically, the objectives of the study were: to find out the kinds of agricultural information accessible for crop farmers: examine the kinds of crops that farmers access information on: ascertain the sources from which crop farmers access their agricultural information: determine the source of agricultural information more credible to crop farmers: investigate the extent to which crop farmers satisfy with the agricultural information accessible for them: and explore how the agricultural information accessed is used by farmers to enhance the production crops and food security in the COVID-19 era in Nigeria. Descriptive survey research design was adopted and the questionnaire was used as the research instrument for data collection. The population of the study comprised 2708690 registered crop farmers in Nigeria from which a sample size of 1067 was statistically drawn, using Qualtrics online sample size calculator. Multistage sampling involving stratified, purposive and proportionate techniques were used in sampling the respondents. Primary and secondary sources were used to collect the data while descriptive method was adopted for data analysis with Multivariate Frequency Distribution Tables and SPSS used as the statistical tools for data analysis in this study. Findings revealed that information on fertilizer application was accessed by crop farmers more followed by weed control, while there was a decline in the rate of information ’ accessibility for loans application, pest control, seeds selection, agric marketing among others. The information accessible to crop farmers enabled them to engage more in timely fertilizer application and early control of weeds while there was poor application of other forms of agricultural information. The study concluded by stressing that access to adequate and useful agricultural information by crop farmers is essential for enhanced food production as inadequate access to such information will result to poor application of agricultural innovations capable of preventing the country from attaining food sufficiency and security. The study recommended amongst other considerations-the prioritizing of agricultural information to increase farmers' access to agricultural information. Training of crop farmers through workshops and seminars with strict adherence to COVID-19 guidelines was also considered a milestone in the enhancement of food security.
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    Information Sourcing Patterns of Rural Farmers for Agricultural Production in Nigeria’s Covid-19 Era.
    (Department of Mass Communication, Nasarawa State University Keffi, 2020-08-08) Josiah, Sabo Kente; Ngufan, Tsafa Tina; Ternenge, Kusugh
    The outbreak of COV/D-19 has posed a serious challenge to the global community with every country and sector having a fair share of the impact on its economic activities. Agriculture, which is the mainstream of the economy of many countries, including Nigeria, is one of the sectors that are affected by this pandemic. This study therefore, investigated how the outbreak of COVID-19 has impacted on the information sourcing patterns of rural farmers in Nigeria. Survey research design was adopted with the questionnaire used as the research instrument for data collection. Data collected were analysed through descriptive method with multivariate frequency distribution tables and SPSS used as the statistical tools for data analysis. Findings revealed that the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic did not stop farmers from seeking agricultural information even though their preference for information in areas such as fertilizer application and weed control was higher compared 'to areas like agriculture loans, pest control and seed selectioh among others. Rural farmers in Nigeria were more exposed to the informal sources of agricultural information such as family members and fellow farmers compared to the formal and professional sources such as extension workers and the mass media. Among the sources of agricultural information available, the most credible one to rural farmers, however, was not related to the sources most available to them as radio was regarded as the source more credible and trustworthy to them as against family members and fellow farmers which happened to be the sources more available to the rural farmers in this period. Finding also revealed that the demand for information among rural farmers was not significantly related to the level at which such demands were met as sources of the agricultural information available to rural farmers were able to satisfy their information needs but to a little extent. Finding finally revealed that rural farmers faced the major challenge of poor radio/television signals, while^ lack of ownership of the radio/television set. COVID-19 lockdown protocol, lack of ICT infrastructure and illiteracy were the additional .challenges that rural farmers faced in seeking for agricultural information in the era. The conclusion of this study was that the outbreak of COVID-19 does not make agricultural information less important to rural farmers in Nigeria but certain factors limit the sources available from satisfying their agricultural information needs. The study recommended that rural farmers' agricultural information seeking behaviour in areas like agriculture loans, pest control and seed selection among others should be enhanced as it is by doing so that they can acquire adequate knowledge enough to fully develop the sector. Rural farmers should be trained in different areas of agricultural activities to make them more trustworthy by their folks since they are the closest sources to farmers in the rural areas.