Original scientific paper
Accuracy, Congruency and Agreement between Extension Professionals’ and Farmers’ Perceptions of Privatization and Commercialization of Agricultural Extension Services
Patrick Chuks Ajieh
; Department of Agricultural Economics and Extension, Delta State University, Asaba Campus, Asaba, Delta State, Nigeria
Agwu Ekwe Agwu
; Department of Agricultural Extension, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Enugu State, Nigeria
Alphonsus Chijioke Anyanwu
; Department of Agricultural Extension, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Enugu State, Nigeria
Abstract
This study examined the accuracy, congruency and agreement between the perceptions of extension professionals and farmers regarding the proposed privatization and commercialization (P and C) of agricultural extension services in Nigeria. The study was carried out in Delta State, Nigeria. A sample size of 224 respondents comprising of 134 extension professionals and 90 farmers was used in the study. Data was collected through the use of a set of validated questionnaire and structured interview schedule. The questionnaire was used for extension professionals, while the interview schedule was used for the farmers. Data was collected between March and September, 2007. Trained field assistants selected in each location, in addition to the researchers collected the data. Data was analyzed using mean perception scores, t-test and spear man’s rank order correlation coefficient. Results show that extension professionals estimated farmers’ perception with a high degree of accuracy (rho = 0.80), while farmers estimated extension professionals’ perception with low accuracy (rho = 0.22). The congruency between extension professionals’ perception and their estimate of farmers’ perception was also high (rho = 0.92), while the congruency of farmers’ perception and their estimate of extension professionals’ perception was low (rho =0.08). There was no difference between the perceptions held by extension professionals and farmers. The inability of farmers to accurately estimate extension professionals’ perception could be due to differences in their educational background and knowledge of issues underlying P and C of agricultural extension services. The study therefore recommends that farmers should further be sensitize through additional education on issues relating to P and C. Also, an interactive involvement of extension professionals and farmers should be employed in the design and implementation of any P and C programme in agricultural extension as this will not only promote co-orientation between them, but also enhance information delivery from extension professionals to farmers.
Keywords
accuracy; congruency; agreement; privatization; commercialization; extension services
Hrčak ID:
39342
URI
Publication date:
25.6.2009.
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