CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of the Study

Most food in Nigeria is produced by smallholder farmers who have limited land, capital and technical knowledge. For these farmers, agricultural extension services are a key source of information on improved seed, soil fertility, pest control, processing and marketing. Access to extension is therefore a precondition for adoption of new technologies and higher productivity.

Access is not the same as availability. A farmer may live in an area served by an extension office and still not be reached because of distance, cost, gender, education, group membership or the way services are organised. Ikoyo-Eweto et al. (2023) examined rural farmers’ access to extension services in Delta State and the implications for adoption of improved technologies. In south-eastern Nigeria, Izuogu et al. (2024) studied the utilisation of extension services, and in Katsina State, Abdullahi et al. (2025) found that cooperative membership was the key determinant of maize farmers’ access to private extension services, with inadequate personnel, small farm size and low literacy as major constraints. Sani and Abubakar (2023) studied farmers’ preferences for extension service delivery in Kano State.

In Akwa Ibom State, Ekanem and Uloh (2025b) surveyed 360 farming households across Akwa Ibom, Cross River and Rivers States and reported a moderate level of access to extension services. In a qualitative study across six farming communities in three agricultural zones of Akwa Ibom State, Ekanem and Uloh (2025a) found that women farmers experienced infrequent visits, long travel distances, male-biased training content and exclusion from decision-making spaces. These studies show that access to extension in the state is uneven and shaped by gender and distance, among other factors.

Nsit Ibom Local Government Area is a rural area of Akwa Ibom State where farming is a common livelihood. However, there is little documented evidence on the factors that determine whether smallholder farmers in the area can reach and use extension services. This study was designed to identify these factors so that extension delivery can be improved.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

Extension services are intended to reach all farmers, but many smallholders report little contact with extension agents. Studies in Nigeria point to shortages of extension personnel, low farmer literacy, lack of membership of cooperatives, distance and gender bias as factors that limit access (Abdullahi et al., 2025; Ekanem & Uloh, 2025a).

In Nsit Ibom Local Government Area it is not known what proportion of smallholder farmers has access to extension services, what sources they use, and what personal, economic and institutional factors help or hinder access. Without this information, extension providers may continue to serve the same farmers while others are left out. This study therefore investigates the factors affecting smallholder farmers’ access to agricultural extension services in Nsit Ibom Local Government Area, Akwa Ibom State.

1.3 Objectives of the Study

The main objective of the study is to identify the factors affecting smallholder farmers’ access to agricultural extension services in Nsit Ibom Local Government Area, Akwa Ibom State. The specific objectives are to:

(1) describe the socio-economic characteristics of smallholder farmers in the study area;

(2) identify the sources of agricultural extension services available to the farmers;

(3) determine the level of farmers’ access to agricultural extension services;

(4) identify the socio-economic and institutional factors affecting farmers’ access to extension services; and

(5) identify the constraints farmers face in accessing extension services.

1.4 Research Questions

(1) What are the socio-economic characteristics of the smallholder farmers?

(2) What sources of extension services are available to the farmers?

(3) What is the level of farmers’ access to extension services?

(4) What socio-economic and institutional factors affect access to extension services?

(5) What constraints do farmers face in accessing extension services?

1.5 Research Hypotheses

The following null hypotheses will be tested at the 5% level of significance:

H01: There is no significant relationship between the socio-economic characteristics of farmers (age, sex, education, farm size, income and farming experience) and their access to agricultural extension services.

H02: Membership of cooperatives or farmer groups has no significant effect on farmers’ access to agricultural extension services.

1.6 Significance of the Study

The study will show extension providers in Akwa Ibom State, including the Akwa Ibom Agricultural Development Programme and non-governmental organisations, which farmers are being left out and why. Farmers and their groups will benefit from recommendations that make extension more accessible, including for women. Policy makers can use the findings to design more inclusive extension strategies. The study also adds to the literature on extension access in the South-South zone.

1.7 Scope of the Study

The study is limited to smallholder farmers in Nsit Ibom Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State. It covers the level of access to extension services and the factors affecting it. It does not measure the impact of extension on farm output or income.

1.8 Limitations of the Study

The study covers a single local government area, so its findings may not represent all farmers in Akwa Ibom State. Farmers may find it difficult to recall exactly how many times they have met extension agents. Poor roads and the farming season may limit access to some respondents. To reduce these problems, the researcher will use a clear definition of extension access, trained enumerators fluent in the local language and a pre-tested questionnaire.

1.9 Definition of Terms

(1) Access to extension services: The ability of a farmer to reach, obtain and use information and advice from extension providers.

(2) Smallholder farmer: A farmer who cultivates a small area mainly with family labour and produces largely for household needs.

(3) Cooperative society: A voluntary association of farmers who pool resources to achieve common economic goals.

(4) Constraint: A factor that limits or prevents farmers from accessing or using extension services.

References

Abdullahi, K. A., Adeola, S. S., Aminu, L. A., & Abubakar, A. (2025). Determinants of access to private agricultural extension services among maize farmers in Funtua Agricultural Zone of Katsina State, Nigeria. Journal of Agricultural Extension, 29(3). https://dx.doi.org/10.4314/jae.v29i3.16

Ekanem, J. T., & Uloh, C. O. (2025). Gendered perspectives on access to agricultural extension services: Voices from women farmers in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. International Journal of Agricultural Economics, Management and Development, 13(1&2).

Ekanem, J. T., & Uloh, C. O. (2025). Household food security and nutritional wellbeing among rural farmers in South-South Nigeria: The role of agricultural extension services. AKSU Journal of Agriculture and Food Sciences, 9, 113–132.

Ikoyo-Eweto, G. O., Adedokun, I. F., Archibong, J. P., & Okwuokenye, G. F. (2023). Rural farmers’ access to extension services: Implications for increased adoption of improved farm technologies in Delta State, Nigeria. Journal of Agriculture and Food Sciences, 21(2), 135–152.

Izuogu, C. U., Oparaojiaku, J. O., Njoku, L. C., & Okorie, D. A. (2024). Utilization of agricultural extension services among farmers in South Eastern, Nigeria. Journal of Agriculture, Food, Environment and Animal Sciences, 5(2), 299–309.

Sani, U., & Abubakar, M. A. (2023). Assessment of farmers’ preference for agricultural extension service delivery in Bichi Local Government Area, Kano. Journal of Agricultural Economics, Environment and Social Science, 9(1), 176–185.