CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background to the Study
Agricultural extension is an applied behavioural science, which aims at bringing about preferable changes in the behavioural complex of farming community, typically with different techniques and programmes of change, by using newest scientific and technological innovation (Bokor, 2008). As revealed by Iwena (2008), agricultural extension is a system where modern farming techniques and research findings are requiring farmers by means of extension and problems of the farmers are taken to research companies for service. Iwena, (2008) explained that, agricultural extension is an informal, out of school voluntary agricultural education consisting of the spread or dissemination of information, current improved development in agriculture from scientists to the farmers with extension representatives.
Nigeria is a third world nation situated in Sub-Saharan Africa with substantial agricultural potentials; with land area of more 97 million hectares, 72.4 percent which is arable while just 27.6 percent is nonarable (Nwankpa, 2017). Agriculture in the past was the primary occupation of many Nigerians however that is not the case again as a result of the reliance on income from oil and gas resources (Adebayo & Olagunju, 2015). Many of the Nigerian workforce (70-80 percent) are farmers practicing subsistence type of farming (Odetola & Etumnu, 2013; Adebayo & Olagunju, 2015). After independence, agriculture was the significant income-earner for Nigeria, creating about 63.49 percent to gross national product, which was made use of in financing the country's National Development Plan between 1962 and 1968 (CBN, 1980).
Sustainable farming and natural resource management is reasonably knowledge intensive requiring the application of basic environmental concepts to a particular situation. Joint problem solving with customers, resulting in an improved capability to determine and address issues, will be a suitable means of influencing their future behaviour. Extension purposes can vary from the effective transfer of technology to the building up of strong rural organisations which can exert influence over future research and policy agendas, and take and enforce collective decisions over natural resource management. A shift in the direction of the latter will promote more sustainable agricultural development. The majority of extension agencies have focused on influencing clients' decisions in respect of land and other resources at the individual household scale. A lot of the environmental issues which impact small-scale farmers, nevertheless, can just be addressed with collective decisions and action. Extension personnel might have to spend more time supporting collective decision-making and facilitating follow-up action.
Since independence in 1960, successive governments have tried to make different contributions or the other towards effecting positive change and development yet to no avail. Likewise, international organizations, agencies, corporate bodies, voluntary organizations, research institutes/centers and firms have put in different initiatives in ameliorating research and extension handicaps however with little outcomes. As a matter of fact, the outcomes have been much less compared to anticipated by the people yearning so much for development and possible change/transformation through agricultural extension. This study aims at improving agricultural extension practice in Nigeria, and proffers some remedies for consideration.
1.2 Statement of the Problem
Nigeria's overdependence on oil as the primary source of her national income is practically bringing the nation to her knees as a result of the dropping price of oil at the global market and the development of alternative sources of energy by the advanced economies in addition to the 2019 corona virus pandemic have led to country's dwindling foreign reserves and today high foreign exchange rate. As the biggest oil exporting nation in Africa with a swiftly growing economy, crude oil represents a high percentage contribution to Nigeria's GDP. Comparing information from 2000 to 2018, the mean contribution of the Agricultural industry to the GDP is 25%. The nation registered highest contribution of agriculture to the GDP in 2002 with 38% and as at 2018, the contribution has gone down to 21% (CBN, 2020). It is thought that with the border closure policy of the immediate past administration which began late 2019, the contribution of the Agricultural industry to the GDP will increase significantly.
The glut of oil and gas brought about considerable changes in the way of life of Nigerians and the revenue base of the economy generally. The affluence associated with the oil boom of the 1970s was used to build social and economic infrastructures in metropolitan areas while the rural areas were disregarded. This led to mass exodus of youths from rural to urban areas with its attached decrease in agricultural production. As a result, prices of staple food increased. Huge importation of food stuff likewise imported inflation into the nation following rising world food prices. This increased hunger for both the metropolitan and rural area (Nwankpa, 2017).
In spite of the massive profits from oil, lots of Nigerians continued to be poor. This suggests that just a few percentages of the Nigerian population benefit from the oil revenue (Demachi, 2012). Worse still, the volatility of the international oil market has negatively affected government revenue and the nations' foreign reserves since late 2014. Thus, the government has been clamoring for the diversification of the economy in which recent actions taken by the government shows that.
1.3 Objectives of the Study
The main aim of this study is to examine how agricultural extension practice can be improved in Nigeria. However, the specific objectives include:
i) To examine if the agricultural sector of Nigeria has impact on the Nigerian economy
ii) To establish the relationship that exists between the agricultural extension and Nigerian economy
iii) To determine the correlation between agricultural extension and the Nigerian economy.
1.4 Research Questions
The following are the research questions for this study:
i) Does the agricultural sector of Nigeria have impact on the Nigerian economy?
ii) What is the relationship that exists between the agricultural extension and Nigerian economy?
iii) What is the correlation between agricultural extension and the Nigerian economy?
1.5 Research Hypotheses
The following is the hypothesis of the study.
i) There is a significant relationship between agricultural sector of Nigeria and the Nigerian economy
ii) There is no significant relationship between the agricultural extension and Nigerian economy
iii) There is a significant correlation between agricultural extension and the Nigerian economy.
1.6 Significance of the Study
The real significance, importance of this study is imbedded on its ability to change the former approach towards the agricultural sector. To the Nigerian economy, as experienced before the oil boom, the agricultural sector fed the nation, and ensured trade surplus. If the findings of this study are implemented. The findings of this study would also be useful to individuals with practical minds that seeks to explore the relevance of agriculture extension and related activities.
1.7 Scope of the Study
The study focused on improving agricultural extension practice in Nigeria, and will proffer some remedies for consideration is the focus of this study. This study will consider information only from some selected commercial farmers in Minna, Niger State.
1.8 Limitations of the Study
The following were encountered in the course of this study; data constraint, the nature of the Data also posed to be a limitation, since limited information since secondary data used were not directly gotten. The type of research work, financial constraint was also part of the limitations.
