ABSTRACT
This study evaluated
the impact of the extension services of Green River Project (GRP) on fish
farmers in Niger Delta, Nigeria. Specifically, it sought to ascertain fishery
technologies received by GRP fish farmers; determine adoption of fish farming
technologies by fish farmers; determine impact of extension services of GRP on
socioeconomic condition of the fish farmers as at the year 2012; ascertain
farmers’ perceived constraints to adoption of GRP fish farming technologies;
ascertain constraints to effective performance of extension services of GRP and
determine perceived strategies to improve effectiveness of the extension
services of GRP. The study was carried out in Niger Delta, Nigeria. Multi-stage
sampling technique was used to select 120 fish farmers and 20 GRP personnel.
Data were collected through the use of questionnaire and interview schedule.
Descriptive statistics (frequency, mean statistic, percentage) were used to
present data while t-test, regression, chi-square and factor analysis with
varimax rotation were used to analyze the data. Mean age of GRP fish farmers
and personnel were 50 and 41.70 years, respectively. Majority (76.7% of fish
farmers and 65% of GRP personnel) of respondents were male. Also majority
(77.5%) of the fish farmers and all (100%) the GRP personnel were married. The
respondents were literates. Majority (70.0) of the fish farmers also engaged in
other income generating activities. Average household size of the fish farmers
and GRP personnel were 6.0 and 4.0 persons, respectively. Average years of
participation in GRP for the fish farmers was 8.00 years while the mean years
of working with GRP of the personnel was 12.65years. The farmers’ average
number of contact with GRP was 4.0 times per month. GRP personnel used
different types of teaching methods such as the use of contact group (100%),
T&V system (90%) and SPAT (85.0%). Majority (86.7%) of the fish farmers
belonged to social organisations. Majority of respondents received most of the
technologies disseminated. Adoption index of fish farm management technologies,
feeding techniques, fish culture management technique, water quantity and
quality management techniques and liming techniques were 0.79, 0.77, 0.77, 0.88
and 0.52 respectively. Extension services of GRP had impact on quantity of
fingerlings stocked (t=6.398; p≤ 0.05) and quantity of fishes harvested
(t=6.279; p≤ 0.05); income from fishes produced (t=7.390; p≤ 0.05) among
others. Constraints to adoption of GRP technologies were grouped into technology
dissemination constraints; project implementation and sustainability
constraints among others. Some socioeconomic characteristics of the respondents
(age (years), years spent in formal education and years of participation in
GRP) influenced the adoption of the fish farming technologies. Therefore, the
null hypothesis was rejected for these variables. There was significant
difference between the average quantities of fish stocked and average quantity
of fish harvested by the fish farmers in Imo and Rivers States after
participation in GRP hence the null hypothesis was rejected. The null
hypothesis was rejected while the alternative hypothesis was accepted. It
further revealed that there was no significant difference between the average
income earned by the fish farmers in Imo and Rivers States after participation
in GRP and the null hypothesis was accepted. Implementation constraints to
effective performance of extension services of GRP according to GRP personnel
included: climatic uncertainties and flooding (M= 1.55) and delay in input
supply (M=1.20). It was recommended that there is need to increase youth
involvement in the project (90.0%), increase farmers’ participation in decision
making (90.0%) and increase the number of trained extension personnel (85.0%).
TABLE
OF CONTENTS
Title page
i
Certification
ii
Dedication
iii
Acknowledgement
iv
Abstract
v
Table of
contents
vi
List of Tables
vii
List of Figures
ix
List of Pictures
x
CHAPTER ONE:
INTRODUCTION
Background
information
1
Problem
statement
4
Purpose of the
study
7
Hypotheses of the
study
7
Significance of the
study
7
CHAPTER TWO:
LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1. Concept of agricultural projects 9
2.2. Overview of fishery projects in
Nigeria
11
2.3. Improved fish farming activities and
technologies 13
2.4. Overview of agricultural extension
services in Nigeria 19
2.5. The Green River Project
25
2.6. Concept of adoption of innovations 28
2.7. Concept of evaluation
35
2.8. Theories/models of evaluation 40
2.9. Conceptual framework
53
CHAPTER THREE: METHODOLOGY
3.1 Study area
54
3.2 Population and sampling procedure 59
3.3 Instrument for data collection 60
3.4 Measurement of variables
61
3.5 Data Analysis
63
CHAPTER FOUR: RESULTS
AND DISCUSSION
4.1 Socio-economic characteristics of GRP
fish farmers and GRP personnel 65
4.2: Fish farming technologies received by the
GRP fish farmers 76
4.3: Adoption of GRP fish farming technologies
by fish farmers 80
4.4 Impact of extension services of GRP on
socioeconomic condition of the fish farmers 85
4.5 Constraints to adoption of fish farming
technologies disseminated by GRP
97
4.6 Implementation constraints to effective
performance of extension services of GRP 100
4.7: Perceived strategies to enhancing the
effectiveness of the extension services 102
4.8 Testing of Hypothesis (Socio-economic
characteristics of farmers influencing adoption of fish farming
technologies)
104
4.9 Testing of differences in socioeconomic
conditions of GRP fish farmers in Rivers and Imo States
108
CHAPTER FIVE: Summary, Conclusion and Recommendation
5.1 Summary
110
5.2 Conclusion
112
5.3 Recommendation
114
REFERENCES
115
APPENDIX 124
LIST OF TABLES
Table 1: Comparison
of cost and nutritional values of different sources of animal protein per 100 g serving 13
Table 2: Sampling
frame
60
Table 3: Percentage
distribution of respondents according to socioeconomic characteristics 73
Table 4: Method of
extension teaching used by GRP personnel
75
Table 5: Percentage distribution of respondents
according to fish farming technologies benefitted from GRP
79
Table 6: Distribution
of farmers according to their adoption of improved fish farming
technologies
84
Table 7: Distribution
of respondents according to impact of extension services of GRP on
socioeconomic conditions 90
Table 8: Distribution
of respondents according to impact of extension services of GRP 96
Table 9: Constraints
to adoption of GRP fish farming technologies by fish farmers
100
Table 10:
Distribution of respondents according to implementation constraints to
effective performance of the extension services of GRP 102
Table 11: Percentage
distribution of respondents according to their perceived strategies to enhancing the effectiveness of
the extension services 104
Table 12:
Socio-economic characteristics of GRP fish farmers influencing adoption of GRP
fish farming technologies
107
Table 13: Comparison
of socio-economic conditions of Imo and Rivers State GRP fish farmers 109
LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 1: Organogram
of Green River Project 28
Figure 2: A model of five stages in the
innovation-decision process 30
Figure 3: Sigmoid pattern of diffusion 31
Figure 4: Snyder
evaluation model
42
Figure 5: Advanced
technology program evaluation logic model 44
Figure 6: Kirkpatrick-Phillips
learning evaluation model 46
Figure 7: Progamme action logic model 49
Figure 8: Schema
showing the impact of extension services of GRP on fish farmers in Niger Delta,
Nigeria
53
Figure 9: Map of
Niger delta, Nigeria showing the study area
56
Figure 10: Map of
Rivers State showing the study area
57
Figure 11: Map of Imo
State showing the study area 58
Figure 12: Extension
contact of GRP fish farmers 74
Figure 13: Impact of
extension service of GRP on proportion of income saved by respondents before
and after participation in GRP 97
LIST OF PICTURES
Picture 1: A farmer
in Obrikom, Rivers State displaying fish spunning and/or hatchery ponds 90
Picture 2: A farmer
in Omoku, Rivers State showing size of fish harvested 91
CHAPTER
ONE
INTRODUCTION
1. BACKGROUND INFORMATION
The development of
state ministry of agriculture in Nigeria changed in political structure after
independence. The three regions structure in 1960 gave way to four regions in
1963 and this equally gave way to states creation from 1967 up to 1996 (Ayoola,
2010). The roles of the ministry of
agriculture include the following: – Organizing of short duration seminars and
workshops to farmers. Providing farmers
credit, subsidies and other incentives to boost total output in the various
special programmes undertaken by the state government, Agricultural Development
Programme (ADP), International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), World
Bank, Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and other support programmes.
Conduct market surveys to determine current prices of agricultural inputs and
products. Carry out the technical implementation of all agricultural loan
schemes. Pest control services. Overseeing the activities of all agriculture
related Parastatals and Companies (www.riverstate.gov.ng).
Agriculture in
Nigeria has witnessed drastic changes in government programmes ranging from
administration, funding, manpower and learning skills, and infrastructural
facilities to creation of research institutes (Madukwe, 2008). The first post
colonial development era of 1962-1968 period emphasized the introduction of
more modern agricultural methods through farm settlements, co-operative
plantations, supply of improved farm implements and a greatly expanded
agricultural extension service. Some specialized development schemes initiated
during this period include: the National Accelerated Food Production Programme
(NAFPP), 1972; The World Bank-funded Agricultural Development Projects (ADP)
1975; River Basin and Rural Development Authorities (RBDA) 1976; Operation Feed
the Nation, 1976; and Green Revolution Programme, 1980; among others (Jibowo
& Ajayi, 2011).
Agricultural
Development Programme (ADP) was a bilateral agreement between the World Bank
and the Federal Government of Nigeria in 1975. ADP idea is an offshoot of the
concept of integrated agricultural and rural development (Jibowo, 2005). The
objective is to improve the levels of living and welfare of farmers. It started
as an enclave in some states to a multi-stage ADP. The ADP is the
implementation organ of the state ministries of agriculture and natural
resources (Jibowo and Ajayi, 2011). ADP programmes consist of adaptive
research, extension transfer, input supply and rural infrastructure.
Operation feed the
Nation (OFN) (1975) was designed to mobilize the general public into
participating in agricultural production using mass and individual extension
methods (Iwuchukwu and Igbokwe, 2012). Some of these strategies included
subsidized production inputs, increased bank credit to farmers, establishment
of commodity boards and fixing of attractive prices for agricultural produce
(Daneji, 2011). Its main aim was to greatly reduce the cost of living
particularly in the urban areas with everybody being able to wholly or partly
feed himself (Adebayo and Okuneye, 2011).
River Basin and Rural
Development Authorities (RBDA) was launched in 1976. Primarily, the schemes
were to harness the country’s water resources by providing employment
opportunities through intensified crop, livestock and fisheries production with
the hope of improving the standard of living of the rural population (Williams,
1981). Their functions were to facilitate land development and ensure efficient
water resource management. Even though the project has succeeded several
regimes, irrigated land in Nigeria stood at 0.7% (Adebayo and Okuneye, 2011)
The Directorate of
Foods, Road and Rural Infrastructure (DFRRI) was established in 1987 with a
mandate to open the rural areas through the construction of access roads, and
provision of basic amenities of modern living but due to the following reasons,
the programme was not sustainable: The programme was inevitable because it has
long been realized according to Otubanjo (1992) that the economic future of
Nigeria depends on the development of rural areas. Therefore, the potentials of
rural areas were seen to be both immediate and long term (Daneji, 2011). The
idea of opening up of rural areas with feeder roads and integrating it with
other parts of the country provided basis for food that could be evacuated to
enhance the quantity of food and raw materials consumption. During the period
of 1980-1988, 30,000km roads were constructed from the targeted 60,000km
estimated by DFFRI. The poor quality of infrastructures provided by the
directorate probably due to mismanagement of fund made the impact of the
programme almost insignificant. However, the directorate had been criticized in
the past for lack of proper focus and programme accountability (Idachaba,
1988).
National Poverty
Eradication Programme (NAPEP) (1999) mode of operation is tailored towards
(subsidized) credit to farmers. The programme consists of four schemes namely,
youth empowerment scheme which involves capacity acquisition, mandatory
attachment, and credit delivery; Rural infrastructures development scheme which
involves the provision of portable water, rural electrification, transportation
and communication development; Social welfare Services Scheme which is involved
with qualitative education, primary health care, farmers empowerment and
provision of social services, provision of agricultural input and credit
delivery to rural farmers; and Natural Resources Development and Conservation
Scheme which contains programmes for environmental protection through
conservation of land and space, development of agricultural resources, solid
minerals and waters resources.
National Fadama
Development programme (1999) is aimed at increasing income of beneficiaries by
at least 20%. It is a major instrument for achieving the government’s poverty
reduction objective in rural areas of Nigeria. The programme empowers the
association with resources, training, and technical assistance support to
properly manage and control the resources for their own development.
Apart from those
initiated by federal government and implemented in the state, they were some
programmes and projects initiated by Anambra state government which include;
Grain Production Agency 1991; Poverty Alleviation Programme 2002; Volunteer
Service Agency (VSA) 1991; Anambra State Tractor Hiring Company (ASTRAC) 1991;
Small Holder Management Unit 1991; State Agricultural Credit Scheme (SACS) 1991;
State Loan Implementation Committee (SIC) 2006; National Programme for Food
Security (NPFS) 2007. However, the scope of activities in various programmes
mentioned among others, are similarly implemented in areas of policies,
funding, manpower training, recruitment and that forms the essence of the
problem of this research.