Thesis Abstract

                    ABSTRACT 

This Research work was designed to investigate the information needs of Cassava Farmers in Okpokwu Local Government Area of Benue State. The Study adopted a survey research design. Questionnaire was used to collect data for the study, the study identified the information needs of Cassava Farmers, the sources available the them, the kinds of information, Cassava Farmers use to improve their yield, the means/sources Cassava Farmers use to get their information, problems of information dissemination to Cassava farmers and strategies to overcome problems. The study therefore recommended that the local government should be sending Agricultural Extension Workers to educate the rural farmers on agricultural matters; the local government should equally organize adult education programme for the rural farmers as this will enhance their information utilization capacity and community outreach programmes should equally be organized and used to disseminate information that would aid the socio-economic, political, agricultural and general enlightenment of the rural farmers. KEYWORDS information, information needs, cassava farmers.

Thesis Overview

1.0 INTRODUCTION 

1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY 

Okpokwu Local Government Area is one of the twenty-three local government areas in Benue State. The inhabitants of the local government area are predominantly farmers, petty traders, artisans, Civil Servant particularly those at the local government administrative level and a few from state and federal government parastatals. The crops produced in the local government area include, Yam, Rice, Beans, Soya beans, Guinea corn, Maize, Groundnut and Cassava. Cassava (Manihot esculenta crantz) belong to the family Euphorbia cease. Cassava is one of the most important staple food crops grown in tropical Africa. This is partly due to its efficient production of food energy, year-round availability, tolerance to extreme weather conditions and its suitability for farming and food system in Africa. The increasing demand in overseas and domestic markets for cassava has also attracted a considerable number of farmers interest in producing cassava (Omoregbee & Banmeke, 2004).

End-use markets for cassava are rapidly expanding. Real opportunities for a boom in the production and processing of cassava roots into cassava chips, edible cassava flour (Lafun), composite flour, cassava starch and garri for international markets exist. The diversification and expansion of cassava development into new growth markets have attracted considerable research interests of governmental and non-governmental organizations. Within the agricultural sector, cassava has remained the major crop cultivated by Nigerian farmers. In view of its wide cultivation, and the potential Benefits derivable from cassava, the presidential cassava initiative was introduced in 2002. The primary objective(s) of the presidential initiative on cassava was to expand primary processing and utilization to absorb the national cassava production glut among others (Osagie, et al. 2002). Furthermore, the combined efforts of National Root Crops Research Institute (NRCRI) and International Institute of Tropical Agricultural (IITA) have led to: The release of 22 improved cassava varieties to Nigerian farmers; Development of appropriate agronomic practices for cassava cultivation which included appropriate plant spacing in sole and in intercropping, the use of appropriate stem cutting as planting materials, appropriate fertilizer regimes and weed management; Integrated and control of cassava mealy bugs and green mites; Development of cultivar control measures for pests and diseases of cassava such as termites, cassava green mites and cassava mosaic disease (CMD) (Nweke, et al. 2002).

  The IITA since 2002 has made significant inputs into the Nigerian presidential initiative on cassava. There are currently three cassava projects implemented through the IITA in Nigeria. However, Cassava is the crop that is produced in large quantity, although some farmers cultivate cassava on subsistence bases, majority produce on commercial scale in order to improve their economic and social basis. Cassava is a viable crop in Okpokwu and Benue State at large because cassava based products constitute a staple food for the people. This is used in the production of Cassava flour, animal feeds, garri, Akpu and even non consumable products like Starch and adhesive liquids. Cassava farmers need information to improve on their production. In order to get high yield and bumper harvest as well as become economically and socially viable, they need various types of information on different areas that will help them improve their farming skills, technique, inputs, process, marketing as well as distribution strategies. It is equally important to adequately educate Cassava farmers on how to get tractors to plough and till the land for large scale farming. Information on how to acquire variety of Cassava is equally important. Other information is on the suitability of soil for cassava farming or cultivation period suitable for cultivation of cassava, irrigation techniques as well as pest control mechanism are all very crucial to the cassava farmers.

Agricultural information dissemination is crucial to the productivity of farmers and makes them learn about those things which they are not aware of (Banmeke and Olowu, 2005). However, different categories of household and individual have different information needs, and their current expressed need for and potential access to information sources may also be different. Different people have different levels of access to the individuals and institutions which mediate these flows of information. If we can identify those to which people have most access or regard as the most reliable, external agencies can use them as channels for getting new agricultural information into the communities or to specific categories of people and obtaining feedback information needs. Farmers need training in technical knowledge if their productivity is to be enhanced. The transformation of traditional or peasant agriculture of farmers must of necessity emphasize the training and education of rural farmers.

  In all forms of human endeavors, effective communication goes a long way in making an individual, group of people and the society to become more informed, more educated and more aware of issues, roles and responsibilities around them. Good information shapes the attitude of people in a society as well as their perceptions and methods of doing things. According to Folorunsho, as cited in Umen (2009), a well-informed society is a mobilized society because it is information literate, more responsive to government policies and eager to participate in the nation’s development programmes, these programmes could be technological, political and agricultural etc. In the field of agriculture, the role of information in enhancing agricultural development cannot be underestimated; information is a veritable tool in the production, marketing and distribution of agricultural produce particularly in Nigeria where majority of the farmers are uneducated and as such face paucity of information on how to develop their agricultural production. Opara (2008) posited that knowledge and information are basic ingredient to increased agricultural production. According to the author the relevance of good information and the availability of fertilizer, cost and implication become inevitable in the operation and management of agricultural enterprise. Therefore, an individual, group of people or society to attain greatness through agriculture, they need adequate information on how to acquire facilities for the conservation and preservation of their produce locally, information on farm inputs like fertilizer, herbicide, pesticide, etc. information on farm technique as well as the right forms, sources and places to get the needed information. It is in the light of the above that Opara (2008) holds that information needs of the farmers and the best form and methods to provide them the information they need. It is against this background that this study set out to investigate information needs of Cassava farmers in Okpokwu Local Government Area of Benue.

1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM 

The Cassava farmers in Okpokwu Local Government Area are producer of the crop in large quantity, but it has been observed that they are not adequately or properly informed about agricultural innovation and programmes that could improve their productivity or yield. The crude method of cultivating cassava applied by farmers in the local government suggests that they are out of time with information on how to apply innovations methods of the production of cassava to achieve productivity and enhance their standard of living. It has been observed that cassava farmers in Okpokwu Local Government Area needs the following information to improve their yields, they need various types of information on different areas that will help them improve on their farming system such as; information on how to conserve and preserve the product locally, information on agro-chemicals such as herbicides and pesticides, information on diseases and pests control, how to control erosion, information on how to control irrigation, information on farm inputs etc. to mention but a few. In an attempt to provide information delivery services to farmers, the federal, state and local governments have over the year formulated policies, constituted implementation committee, initiates projects as well as established institutions all in a bid to sensitize farmers on agricultural innovations and provide the necessary farm inputs. All these efforts are aimed at equipping the farmers materially and information wise so as to make them viable. In spite of these efforts, cassava farmers in Okpokwu local government Area have the difficulty to accessing adequate information they need to make them attain self-sufficiency in cassava production. The problem of this research therefore, is to identify the information needs of cassava farmers in Okpokwu Local Government Area and to establish ways of meeting these information needs so that cassava farmers in the area can be adequately informed towards enhancing productivity and ensuring their economic and social viability.

1.3 PURPOSE OF THE STUDY 

The main purpose of the study is to investigate the information needs of cassava farmers in Okpokwu Local Government Area of Benue State. The specific purposes are: 

1. To investigate the information needs of cassava farmers in Okpokwu Local Government Area of Benue State. 

2. To investigate the sources of information available to cassava farmers in Okpokwu Local Government Area of Benue State. 

3. To determine the kinds of information cassava farmers need to improve their yields in Okpokwu Local Government Area of Benue State.

 4. To investigate the means/sources farmers use to get their information in Okpokwu Local Government Area of Benue State.

1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS 

1. What are the information needs of cassava farmers in Okpokwu Local Government Area of Benue State? 

2. What are the sources of information available to cassava farmers in Okpokwu Local Government Area of Benue State? 

3. What are the kinds of information do cassava farmers needs to improve their yield in Okpokwu Local Government Area of Benue State? 

4. What are the means/ways by which cassava farmers use to get their information in Okpokwu Local Government Area of Benue State?

1.5 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY 

It is expected that this study could be beneficial to different group such as; Farmers, Traders and Government. To Farmers, it is expected that they will benefit in ways like; acquiring loan from government, marketing their products, getting the right traders to buy their goods. To government, it is expected that the government will benefit in areas like; they will be informed of information needs of cassava farmers, provide extension services and agricultural programmes to enhance their economic base. To traders, it is expected that they will benefit in areas such as; getting the right products, knowing the right market to take the product to marketing of the products whether locally or internationally.

1.6 SCOPE OF THE STUDY 

The study is anchored on information needs of cassava farmers. In the same vein, this study is restricted to Okpokwu Local Government Area of Benue State.

1.7 OPERATIONAL DEFINITION OF TERMS 

Information: is a strategic resource (financial, materials or plant resource) needed by any person (farmers) as a factor of production. It is also needed for problem-solving, current awareness and recreational purposes. 

Information Needs: Are the information that farmers require to improve on their products. 

Cassava farmers: are the people who cultivate cassava for subsistence living as well as those who cultivate for commercials purposes.