A comparative study of the involvement of men and women farmers in improving farmers9 participation in adoption of extension recommendation in Benue (Nigeria)

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.