ROLE OF AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION SERVICES IN PROMOTING SUSTAINABLE FARMING PRACTICES IN EDO STATE NIGERIA

ABSTRACT

The research investigated the Role of Agricultural Extension Services play in Promoting Sustainable Farming Practices in Edo state Nigeria. A descriptive survey research design was adopted for the study.The population of the study consisted of 271 arable farmers in Ikpoba Okha LG, Edo State, who were officially recognized by the Ministry of Agriculture.The study used purposive and random sampling techniques to select the sampled (99). The instrument for data collection was a structured questionnaire.It comprised two sections: Section A focused on the respondents' background information, and Section B contained a series of questions for the study. The validity of the instrument was determined by the researcher's supervisor and two other experts.To determine the reliability of the instrument, the test-retest method was used. Their opinions were inputted and correlated using the Pearson Product Moment Correlation. The reliability coefficient obtained was 0.85, indicating that the instrument was reliable.Data collection, was done personally by the researcher, that administerd and waited to collect it immediately. The data collected was properly analyzed using frequency counts and simple percentages, while means and standard deviations were used to analyze the research questions. The findings revealed that farmers in Edo State found a disconnect between farmers' perceptions and the effectiveness of agricultural extension services in promoting sustainable agriculture. Farmers felt these services weren't delivering. The main roadblocks to adopting sustainable practices were financial limitations, difficulty selling these crops, and a general lack of understanding about the advantages. Extension services themselves struggled with limitations in travel, communication issues, and a lack of resources. To address these issues, the study recommends enhancing the outreach and accessibility of agricultural extension services by increasing mobility, using diverse communication methods, and deploying local extension agents; strengthening the capacity building efforts of extension services through practical training demonstrations and closer collaboration with research institutions; providing financial support like credit facilities and subsidies to help farmers overcome the financial constraints of adopting sustainable practices; developing robust market access for sustainable produce by investing in infrastructure and initiatives to connect farmers to buyers; and fostering stronger collaboration among policymakers, extension agents, researchers, and farmers to share knowledge and resources for promoting sustainable agriculture.