Effectiveness of agricultural extension models in food crop production in Cross River State, Nigeria

This study assessed the effectiveness of agricultural extension models in food crop production in Cross River State. Specifically, the study described the socio-economic characteristics of the respondents, identified the level of extension model activities in crop production and analyzed the effectiveness of agricultural extension models in the study area. A multi-stage random sampling technique was used in selecting respondents for the study. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire. Descriptive statistics such as frequency distribution, mean scores, percentages and standard deviation were used for the study. The result showed that the respondents had a mean age of x ̅ = 5. Majority (77.00%) of the respondents were married. Furthermore, the result of the socio economic characteristics of the respondents also showed that a negligible proportion (17.20%) of the respondents had no formal education. About 16.10% had primary level of education. A fair proportion (45.00%) had secondary level of education. Also, about 21.70% of the respondents had tertiary level of education. These implied that the respondents were educated. Educational attainment would make the farmers more responsible and responsive to agricultural extension models, programs and policies. The result also indicated that 79.50% of the respondents were farmers. These implied that farming was the major means of livelihood in the area. The result of distribution of respondents based on extension models available in the area showed that “training and visit” extension model was ranked first with standard deviation of 1.65; this means that the “training and visit” model of extension had a high level of acceptability in ensuring food crop production. Contact farmer model was ranked 2nd, with standard deviation of 1.28. This means that farmers had contact with fellow farmers faster than extension officers. In the same vein, video-based extension model was ranked 8th with standard deviation of 0.64. The result of the effectiveness of extension model revealed that mean (x ̅) of 3.58, 3.35, 3.49, 3.20 affirmed that agricultural extension models populated by extension officers are effective in food crop production in the study area. Similarly, individual persons oriented model such as mass media model with mean of x ̅ = 3.21 was very effective in food crop production. These results implied that agricultural extension models were effective in food crop production. The study concluded that the agricultural extension models are very effective and positively related to food crop production. Key words: Agriculture, Cross River, Effectiveness, Extension models, Food crop, Production