Assessing the Effectiveness of Farmer to Farmer Extension (F2Fe) in Adamawa State, Nigeria

Abstract

In Adamawa State, slow pace of agricultural development has been viewed as a system problem and F2Fe method seems to have a potential to reverse the trend. The focus of this study was to analyze the effectiveness of farmer to farmer extension. Specifically, respondent’s perception of effectiveness and factors influencing F2Fe in the study area were examined. Structured questionnaire were used to collect data from 354 respondents using multistage random sampling technique from three (3) LGAs purposively selected. Analytical tools used were descriptive statistics while inferential statistics used was the multiple regression analysis. The result revealed that the overall effectiveness score of the group was (X ) 1.9 indicating that F2Fe was effective on the average based on the pre-determined a piriori mean range of 1.0 – 1.4 low effective, 1.5 – 2.4 moderately effective, 2.5 and above highly effective. The result further identified factors influencing F2Fe in the study area based on the regression outcome, R2 value was found to be 65.5%, adjusted R2 value is 64.6%, F-value was 72.46 and was significant at 5% level of significance, the estimated parameter age was negative (coefficient of -0.54629 and significant a 5% level of probability (T = - 1.88) Farm size was negative and significant at 5% level (coefficient of -0.59311 and T = 2.23**). The educational level, extension contact and membership of farmers’ association were all positively significant at 5% level of probability (coefficient of 2.00203, 0.69652, 1.09152 and T = 7.93**, 3.90**, 5.05** respectively. Farming experience was negatively significant at 5% level (coefficient of -1.013241 and T = -3.30**). The study thus concludes that F2Fe is effective and that farmers in the study area prefer the F2Fe method due to its attributes of transferring agricultural technologies at a faster, easier and more effective way. Based on these findings, the study recommends that government should adopt the use of F2Fe method to complement public extension service in order to reduce the ratio of extension agent to farmer for efficient extension service delivery. Furthermore, extension service providers should collaborate with lead farmers and other stakeholders in a public-private partnership (PPP) to disseminate innovative technologies to farmers via the F2Fe platform.