Abstract:
This study was carried out to assess the comparative involvement of gender in participatory
methodology in extension delivery in Benue State. Data for the study were collected from 90 project
farmers [45 participating men farmers (PMFs) and 45 participating women farmers (PFFs)j, in
“Improved Farmers' Participation in Research and Extension” in Benue State (IFPREB), in two
project communities. The instrument for data collection is the structured interview schedule.
Percentages, means, and ANOVA were used in analyzing the data. The study revealed that women
participate in application of options and observation of trials along side with men. However, their
participation in selection of sites, decision-making, historical profiles, provision of composting
materials and labour was low. Twenty five percent of the PFFs adopted AKAGA as their first lowinput
technology and 21% of the PMFs adopted AKAGA. Twenty seven percent of the PFFs
adopted Neem as their second low-input technology, while 25% of the PMFs adopted Neem. The
result of the hypothesis tested using ANOVA revealed that Fcal (8.9) > F09S (2.77) showing that the
treatment effect is significant That is the null hypothesis is rejected and that at least one of the
treatment means is statistically different from others. In order to find out which treatment means
are different we use Fishers Least Significant Difference (F-LSD). The result of the F-LSD shows a
15-combinations of variables as a result of the difference in means for the 6 treatments. Among the
15 combinations of low-input technologies, 7 variables were found to be statistically different at
both p > 0.01 and p > 0.05, while 8 variables were statistically equal at the same probability levels.
AKAGA/pepper, neem/pepper, AKAGA/mucuna, neem/mucuna, pit composting /AKAGA, pit
composting/SOS and neem/SOS were found to be different. Conversely, SOS/pepper, pit
composting/pepper, mucuna/pepper, SOS/mucuna, neem/mucuna, pit composting /SOS,
AKAGA/neem and AKAG A/SOS were found to be statistically equal.
