Effectiveness of university-based extension outreach for maize production in southwestern Nigeria

Abstract

The study assessed the effectiveness of maize management practices by University-based extension outreach (UBEO) in southwestern, Nigeria. A total of 165 outreach beneficiaries were interviewed for the study viaastructured and pre-tested interview schedule, in the two purposively selected UBEOs using a multistage sampling technique. Data collected were analyzed using descriptive statistical tools such as frequency counts, percentage, mean and standard deviation while inferential statistics such as Chi-Square and Pearson Product Moment Correlation were used to test the hypotheses. The mean age of the respondents was 52.4±19.8 years and their years of experience in maize farming was 16.4±13.6. Besides, the mean years offormal education of the beneficiaries was 7.4±4.6. Also, 75.6 percent got information about the outreach through their community leaders and they participated to better their lot in life. Slightly above average (51.2%) of the respondents hadbeen benefiting for the past 10 years. Besides, maize management practices by UBEOs were appropriate land preparation, seed selection, timely planting and appropriate seed rate among others. The maize yields before and after the management practices were 3.4±1.3 and 4.2±2.1 tons/ hectare respectively, and the majority (92.3%) of the maize farmers indicated that the management practices by UBEOs were effective in improving the yield. The findings further revealed that at p<0.01, reasons for participation (χ2=31.612) had a significant association with the effectiveness of maize management practicesby UBEOs. Also, at p<0.01, farming experience (r= 0.503) and years as beneficiaries (r= 0.501) had a significant relationship with the effectiveness of the management practices; also at p<0.05, age (r=0.322) and years of formal education (r=0.389) of respondents had significant relationship with effectiveness of the management practices. The study concludes that the maize management practices by UBEOs in the study area were effective in improving the capabilities of the beneficiaries. It was recommended that UBEOs be sustained and expanded to cover more rural communities.