Evaluation of Extension Agents’ Communication Strategies in Promoting the New Rice for Africa Technology Among Rice Farmers in Ofada, Ogun State, Nigeria

This study focused on evaluating the effectiveness of extension agents’ communication strategies in promoting the New Rice for Africa Technology among farmers in Ofada, Ogun State, Nigeria. Hinged on the Diffusion of Innovations Theory, the study adopted the survey research design using structured questionnaire and focused group discussion sessions to elicit data from extension workers and rice farmers respectively. Findings from the study revealed that extension agents employed communication strategies such as one-to-one, group gatherings, radio jingles, short sms, and video demonstrations among others to promote NERICA among rice farmers in Ofada. It was also gathered that these communication strategies were effective in passing across required information however; the farmers prefer the one-to-one than the group gathering communication strategy which was more often used by the extension workers. This preference was premised on the inherent advantage of interactivity which the adoption of the one-to-one technique could provide. In the light of these findings, it was recommended that, more needed to be done by the extension agents and the government to ensure adoption of NERICA technology. With the right seedlings, good preservation techniques, and other backup supports such as availability of pesticides, herbicides and fertilizers, adopting NERICA technology would be easier for farmers. The study recommended use of the one-to-one communication strategy and periodic evaluation of the extension worker’s activities by government.


Introduction
The role of agriculture in economic development and growth of a nation cannot be overemphasized. Agriculture can play a unique role in achieving food security and serve as an important engine for economic growth especially in developing countries. This is due to the large number of people engaged in it and its capability to foster food production and generation of substantial income, thereby reducing poverty and starvation. That an estimated 70 percent of the labor force in sub-Saharan Africa work in the agricultural sector is a pointer to the fact that agriculture can serve as a springboard to national development by contributing substantially to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of any nation (Ali, Mohammad, & Ebraheem, 2012).
Although the economy of Nigeria is highly dependent on crude oil, the country has recognized the need to invest heavily in promoting agriculture. Since early post-independence, Nigeria has witnessed diverse agricultural intervention programmes by `successive governments designed specifically to improve productivity in the agricultural sector. These initiatives emerged out of government's concern that the agricultural sector must develop the capacity to provide the nation's food, industrial raw materials and generate foreign exchange. Programmes such as Operation Feed the Nation (OFN), Green Revolution (GR), the Directorate of Food, Road and Rural Infrastructure (DFRRI), the River Basin and Rural Development Authorities, the World Bank assisted Agricultural Development Programme (ADP) and most recently Anchor Borrowers Programme for farmers were all attempts by government at various times aimed at improving the capacity of the agricultural sector (Chukwuemeka & Nzewi, 2011). Despite all these seemingly laudable initiatives and agricultural development programmes by successive governments, Nigeria, known as the most populous black nation in the world, with a population of over 180 million people, is still faced with food insecurity. Rice is perhaps the world's most important food crop, being the staple food of over 50% of the world population, particularly in India, China, and a number of other countries in Africa and Asia (Ogundele & Okoruwa, 2006). In Africa, particularly in the 1980s, Egypt and Malagasy Republic account for 62% of all rice produced (Akpokodje, Lancon & Olaf, 2002). One of the major agricultural products grown in Nigeria is rice. Although rice is primarily a cash crop in Nigeria, it also serves as a common staple food for many people across the country. In rice producing areas, the enterprise also provides employment for more than 80 per cent of the inhabitants in various activities along the production/distribution chain from cultivation to consumption.
The Nigerian rice sector attracts special attention within the West African sub-region because of the population of the country as well as its vast land area where rice could be cultivated. Nigeria has a potential 5 million hectares of land that spread across all the ecological zones, suitable for rice cultivation (Ojehomon,

Methodology
This study adopted the survey research design. It is considered appropriate for this kind of study because it enabled the researchers reach and examine the two different categories of people that were investigated: agricultural extension workers and rice farmers. A combination of structured questionnaire, and focus group discussion guide were used to elicit responses from extension agents and rice farmers.
The sampling technique that was adopted for the quantitative aspect of this study is the total enumeration sampling method due to the low number of extension workers that were examined. For the qualitative aspect of the study, which involved farmers, the purposive sampling method was adopted since all the farmers cannot participate in the focused group discussion. The criterion for inclusion for farmers in the locality was rice farming, while extension workers that were studied were those working in Owode LGA of Ogun state. Focus Group Discussions (FGD) with rice farmers were organized during their various Farmers' Cooperative Society meetings holding at various meeting points between Mondays and Saturdays, while the survey instrument used for extension workers was administered at their offices at the local government headquarters during working hours. The collected data was analyzed, using the simple linear regression analysis for the hypothesis which was done using the Statistical Products and Services Solution (SPSS) version 21.

Focus Group Discussion
Focus group discussions were conducted among five different groups, comprising eleven participants in each of the first four groups, while the fifth group is made up of twelve participants. Findings from the discussion were used to provide answer to research question four, five and six. It was moderated by the researchers.
Finding from our discussion with the farmers revealed that their first contact with NERICA was through extension agents who came to them during their cooperative gatherings and meetings to speak about the technology. It was during this period that information like the use of pesticides, control measures, and harvesting was exposed to them. It was also revealed that NERICA technology improved farmers' skills and knowledge about rice farming. There were also attestations to the fact that NERICA farming method is better than the traditional method of rice farming which they were used to because of its sophisticated and improved nature. The farmers affirmed the fact that NERICA technology if properly carried out significantly increase rice yield.
With reference to some of the challenges faced by farmers in the adoption of the technology, the following were identified: None availability of seedlings, none availability of equipment used for seed preservation, expensive nature of NERICA technology, complicated nature of NERICA technology, unfulfilled promises on the side of government. The farmers also unanimously preferred the one-to-one communication approach with the extension workers because it gives opportunity for a face-to-face contact and personalized interaction between them and the extension agents. These interactions enable answers and solutions which could be tailored towards individual farmer's needs. Based on the aforementioned the one-to-one communication strategy is considered to be the flagship of extension work because it gives opportunity for on-site appraisal of farm situations, questions and professional advice.
Overall, findings show that NERICA method offers more improved yield, both in terms of quantity and quality compared to other methods. However, government should assist by making available seedlings, seed preservation equipment, chemicals, reduction in the prices of fertilizers. There is also the need for closer interaction between farmers and extension workers in order to facilitate understanding of personal farm needs. Finally, there is need for a regular assessment of extension workers' activities by the government in other to regulate and ensure quality extension services to farmers.  The linear regression analysis of coefficient reveals that there is a positive relation between communication strategy employed by extension workers and knowledge of rice farmers about NERICA. This was validated in figures (R 2 = .564**, F(2, 95) = 24.688, P < .000). The result as shown in the bracket reveals the p-value as .000 which implies that the null hypothesis is rejected. Therefore, the conclusion of the hypothesis result is that there exists a positive influence between communication strategies of extension agents and its impact on the knowledge of rice farmers about NERICA technology in Ofada, Ogun State.

Discussion of findings
Evidence from the data revealed that the communication strategies employed by extension agents to reach rice farmers were one-on-one communication, group meetings, handbills/posters, SMS, radio broadcasts, video demonstration, manuals and notes, and cooperative gatherings. This finding is similar to that of Ashlock, Cartmell and Kelemen (2006) who reported that agricultural communication can take three modes; face-to-face training, training "products" such as manuals and videos, or information and communication technologies (ICTs), such as radio and short message System (SMS). Similarly, the outcome of the study aligns with that of Jamilah, Azril, Jegak, Asiah & Azman (2010) which reported that extension workers go to meet with farmers in their homes, farms, markets gathering or during town hall or cooperative meetings and make them aware of the latest farming technologies and techniques. It is important, therefore, to note that employing these communication strategies can help extension agents to properly diffuse new innovations that would be more easily adopted by the users. Extension work has to do with the transfer of knowledge and the education of rural dwellers in adopting modern ways of carrying out specific activities, in relation to farming, health, or environments, it is imperative that change agents adopt simplified communication techniques such as one-to-one communication