Crop Farmers’ Access to E-information for Climate Smart Agriculture Production, in Cross River State, Nigeria

Abstract

The study ascertained crop farmers’ access to e-information for climate-smart agriculture production in Cross River State, Nigeria. Using a multistage sampling procedure, 191 respondents were selected and data were collected with the aid of a structured questionnaire. Percentages, means and Spearman rho correlation were used to analyse the data. Results showed that the least used climate-smart agriculture (CSA) practices were agroforestry (27.7%), water harvesting practices (25.1%), construction and use of irrigation facilities (14.1%) and land reclamation practices (16.2%). The majority (72.3%) of farmers got e-information on climate-smart agriculture from the radio, while 8.9% and 12.6% got it from internet websites and social media respectively. E-information that was less accessed by the farmers was information on zero tillage (x ̅=2.33), and minimum tillage. There was a weak, positive monotonic relationship (γ_s= 0.029) between farmers’ use of climate-smart agriculture practices and access to e-information. Reliable and timely climate-smart agriculture information targeting tillage, cropping, and water harvesting and use should be developed by extension service providers, uploaded and broadcasted via traditional electronic media and other non-e-sources for easy access and use by farmers.

Keywords

• crop farmers and climate-smart agriculture