CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of the Study

Agriculture employs a large share of Nigeria’s rural population, most of whom are smallholder farmers with limited land, capital and technical knowledge. For these farmers, agricultural extension services are a principal source of information on improved seed, soil fertility management, pest control, processing and marketing. Access to extension is therefore a precondition for technology adoption and higher productivity.

Access, however, is not the same as availability. A farmer may live in an area served by an extension agency and still not be reached because of distance, cost, gender, education, membership of groups or the way services are organised. Studies in different parts of Nigeria show a range of factors at work. Ikoyo-Eweto et al. (2023) examined rural farmers’ access to extension services in Delta State and discussed the implications for the adoption of improved farm technologies. In south-eastern Nigeria, Izuogu et al. (2024) reported that extension contact was a leading factor in farmers’ use of technologies and highlighted the role of farmers’ perceptions and training needs in the utilisation of extension services. In Funtua Agricultural Zone of Katsina State, Abdullahi et al. (2025) found that cooperative membership was the key determinant of maize farmers’ access to private extension services, and that inadequate extension personnel, small farm size and low literacy were major constraints. In Kano State, Sani and Abubakar (2023) studied farmers’ preferences for extension service delivery, showing that how services are delivered matters to the people they are meant to serve.

Akwa Ibom State in the South-South is largely agrarian, with cassava, yam, cocoyam, vegetables and oil palm among the crops grown by smallholders. Etim Ekpo Local Government Area is predominantly rural. Etimekpon and Iwukem communities depend on farming, yet the factors that determine whether their farmers are able to reach and use extension services have not been well documented. This study seeks to identify those factors so that extension delivery can be improved.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

Governments and development agencies have invested in extension delivery for decades, but many smallholder farmers still report little or no contact with extension agents. Evidence from Nigeria points to problems such as too few extension personnel, low farmer awareness, lack of membership of cooperatives or farmer groups, and low literacy (Abdullahi et al., 2025).

In Etimekpon and Iwukem communities of Etim Ekpo LGA, there is limited empirical information on how many farmers actually have access to extension services, which sources they use, and which personal, economic and institutional factors help or hinder access. Unless these factors are understood, extension programmes will continue to be designed without regard to the barriers faced by farmers on the ground. This study investigates the factors affecting smallholder farmers’ access to agricultural extension services in Etimekpon and Iwukem communities, Etim Ekpo LGA, Akwa Ibom State.

1.3 Objectives of the Study

The main objective of the study is to identify the factors affecting smallholder farmers’ access to agricultural extension services in Etimekpon and Iwukem communities, Etim Ekpo LGA, Akwa Ibom State. The specific objectives are to:

(1) describe the socio-economic characteristics of smallholder farmers in the study area;

(2) identify the sources of agricultural extension services available to the farmers;

(3) determine the level of farmers’ access to agricultural extension services;

(4) identify the socio-economic and institutional factors affecting farmers’ access to extension services; and

(5) identify the constraints faced by farmers in accessing agricultural extension services.

1.4 Research Questions

(1) What are the socio-economic characteristics of smallholder farmers in the study area?

(2) What sources of extension services are available to the farmers?

(3) What is the level of farmers’ access to extension services?

(4) What socio-economic and institutional factors affect farmers’ access to extension services?

(5) What constraints do farmers face in accessing extension services?

1.5 Research Hypotheses

The following null hypotheses will be tested at the 5% level of significance:

H01: There is no significant relationship between the socio-economic characteristics of farmers (age, sex, education, farm size, income and farming experience) and their access to agricultural extension services.

H02: Membership of cooperatives or farmer groups has no significant effect on farmers’ access to agricultural extension services.

1.6 Significance of the Study

The study will show extension providers in Akwa Ibom State, including the Akwa Ibom Agricultural Development Programme and non-governmental organisations, which groups of farmers are being left out and why. Farmers and their associations will benefit from recommendations that make extension more accessible. Policy makers can use the findings to plan more inclusive extension strategies, including group-based, radio and digital approaches. The study will also add to the limited literature on extension access in the South-South zone and provide a basis for further research.

1.7 Scope of the Study

The study is restricted to smallholder farmers in Etimekpon and Iwukem communities of Etim Ekpo Local Government Area, Akwa Ibom State. It covers the level of access to extension services and the factors that affect that access. It does not evaluate the impact of extension on farm output or income.

1.8 Limitations of the Study

The study is limited to two communities, so the results may not be representative of all farmers in Akwa Ibom State. Farmers may find it difficult to recall the number of extension contacts accurately. Poor roads and the farming season may restrict access to some respondents. To reduce these effects, the researcher will use a well-structured questionnaire, trained enumerators familiar with the local language, and appropriate timing of data collection.

1.9 Definition of Terms

(1) Access to extension services: The ability of a farmer to reach, obtain and use information, advice and training from extension providers.

(2) Smallholder farmer: A farmer who cultivates a small area using mainly family labour, producing largely for household needs with some surplus for sale.

(3) Agricultural extension services: Educational and advisory activities that transfer knowledge and technologies from research and other sources to farmers.

(4) Cooperative society: A voluntary association of farmers who pool resources and effort to achieve common economic and social goals.

(5) Constraint: A factor that limits or prevents farmers from accessing or using extension services.

References

Abdullahi, K. A., Adeola, S. S., Aminu, L. A., & Abubakar, A. (2025). Determinants of access to private agricultural extension services among maize farmers in Funtua Agricultural Zone of Katsina State, Nigeria. Journal of Agricultural Extension, 29(3). https://dx.doi.org/10.4314/jae.v29i3.16

Ikoyo-Eweto, G. O., Adedokun, I. F., Archibong, J. P., & Okwuokenye, G. F. (2023). Rural farmers’ access to extension services: Implications for increased adoption of improved farm technologies in Delta State, Nigeria. Journal of Agriculture and Food Sciences, 21(2), 135–152.

Izuogu, C. U., Oparaojiaku, J. O., Njoku, L. C., & Okorie, D. A. (2024). Utilization of agricultural extension services among farmers in South Eastern, Nigeria. Journal of Agriculture, Food, Environment and Animal Sciences, 5(2), 299–309.

Sani, U., & Abubakar, M. A. (2023). Assessment of farmers’ preference for agricultural extension service delivery in Bichi Local Government Area, Kano. Journal of Agricultural Economics, Environment and Social Science, 9(1), 176–185.