Socio-economic and Institutional Factors Influencing Farmers’ Perception of Privatization of Agricultural Extension Services in Kaduna State Nigeria

Abstract

This study was determined farmers’ perception of privatization of agricultural extension services in Kaduna state. Socio-economic characteristics of farmers and the institutional factors influencing farmers’ perception towards the privatization of agricultural extension services were investigated. Two out of the four KADP zones were used for the study. A total of 80 constituted the sample size for the study. Descriptive (frequency and percentage) and Inferential (Tobit regression) statistical techniques were used for data analysis. The findings revealed that education (X2) and farmers’ awareness of extension privatization (X10) were positively significant to perception while age (X1), membership of cooperative (X8) and quality of extension service delivery (X9) were negatively significant to farmers’ perception of extension privatization to farmers. This finding suggests that farmers should be properly sensitized and well educated on issues concerning Extension privatization. This will actually expose them to know what privatization entails, including the benefits and advantages they can derive from the privatized extension practice.

Keywords

• Agricultural extension services
• privatization
• socio-economic and institutional factors