INFORMATION NEEDS AND RESOURCE UTILIZATION BY AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION WORKERS FOR EFFECTIVE AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION IN BENUE STATE

Abstract

The study investigated information needs and resource utilization by agricultural extensionworkers in Benue stateNigeria. Six research questions guided the study which includes: the information needs of agricultural extension workers in Benue State; determine the information resources accessible to agricultural extension workers in the study; to determine the channels of utilizing agricultural information resources by agricultural extension workers in the study. Examine the extent of utilization of information resources by agricultural extension workers in the study. Establish the challenges encountered in utilizing agricultural information resources by agricultural extension workers in the study and Proffer strategies for enhancing information and resource utilization by agricultural extension workers in the study. Descriptive survey design was adopted for this study. The population comprised 200extension workers from Ministry of Agric and Natural Resources (MOANR) and Benue Agricultural and Rural Development Authority (BNARDA). There was no need for sampling, the entire population was used for the study. A questionnaire, titled “Information Needs and Resource Utilization by Extension Workers Questionnaire” (INRUEWQ) was used for the study. The questionnaire was validated by three validators, two from library and information science department and one from the department of science education, all in the faculty of education, University of Nigeria, Nsukka. Data was collected with the help of research assistants who were briefed on how to administer the questionnaires. Data obtained were analyzed using mean rating and standard deviations and the benchmark for decision was a mean score of 2.50 and above for positive decisions. The major findings were that Agricultural extension workers need information for them to be able to discharge their duty of bringing the gap between farmers, policy makers and researchers. Their information needs range from information on recent development, information on training and education of the respondents and information on latest development. The types of information resources available to extension workers in the study were found to include the following, handbills and fliers, audiovisuals, bill boards and the internet The channels of utilizing information resources by agricultural extension workers in the study were found to include workshops, interaction with people and the ministry of agriculture. Others are television/radio and seminars, libraries, information centres and research institutes .The study also discovered that,the most utilized information resources in the study are bill boards, closely followed by handbills, fliers and newspapers. The challenges encountered by agric extension workers in utilizing information resources were found to include geographical distance to access, lack of time to seek for relevant information and lack of access. Strategies to be adopted to overcome the challenges were found to include establishment of information centres in rural areas as a major strategy for overcoming the challenges, the need for proper time management and improved access to information, provision of current resources and orientation/training on information literacy. There is need for the provision of relevant information infrastructure that will address the information needs of agricultural extension workers, it also recommends that the state government should establish information centres in rural areas as a major strategy for overcoming the challenges faced by agricultural extension workers as this will improve their access to information.