ROLES OF EXTENSION SERVICES IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE COMMUNITY
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the Study
Extension is one of the government policy mechanisms that have an important role to play in developing agriculture, hence many governments in the world have ministry of agriculture with extension and research components (Van den Ban and Hawkins, 1990). Extension has an important role to play in ensuring that agriculture develops and assume its rightful position in the arena of development especially small scale and upcoming commercial farmers. For example Neuchatel (2007: 2), confirmed that a well-designed extension services contribute to improving agricultural production, land use systems, reduce rural poverty and equitable economic development through facilitating access to market for farm supporting the sustainable management of natural resources, enhancing the management of rural communities and other agricultural sectors, Agricultural cooperatives are seen as some of the enterprises that can be assisted by extension to become sustainable hence the role of extension is investigated in this regard.
Agriculture in most parts of Sub Saharan Africa has long been an inexplicably neglected sector which is in dire need of intervention. There is an opportunity for public and private individuals to participate in order to realize production potential and to power rural development (NEPAD, 2013). The Nigerian Government in recognition of this has begun to implement measures aimed at boosting the country’s agricultural industry by revamping the FMARD and initiating agricultural initiatives to encourage private participation in the sector (The Guardian, 2014).
Nigerian crude oil directly accounts for around 70% of government revenue, with the value of petroleum exports set to drop to about 52 billion dollars in 2015 down from 88 billion dollars in the previous year; the sharp decline emphasizes the need for an economy that supports an estimated 160million people to diversify (The Economist, 2015). Hailu (2012, p, 2) succinctly describes the task facing agriculture. The existence of a trade deficit in agricultural products, in which demand continues to rise, creates an interesting opportunity for those willing to invest in revitalizing a once profitable and successful sector (Manyong et al., 2005). Smallholder farmers play an important role in the future development of agriculture across the entire country.
Agricultural extension service encompasses the operational process, structure and facilities tailored towards achieving a voluntary out of school education system of transferring useful information and tangible improved farm technologies from their source to affected population. It is a service or system which assists farm people, through educational procedures, in improving farming methods and techniques, increasing production efficiency and income, improving their level of living and uplifting the social and educational standards of rural life (Maunder 2009). Extension plays a very vital role in promoting the development of business plans of entrepreneurs. Extension specialist can assist entrepreneurs in three ways which includes understanding the essential components of a business plan, pro-forma financial analysis and legal issues that affect the industry, operations, cost, market access and future opportunities (Brodsky, 2009). Extension specialist can assist farmers to develop budgets and analyze the cost and benefits of various enterprises. Increased agricultural productivity at the rural farm level can only be achieved through the provision of agricultural extension services to resource poor of farmers. This will in turn improve the overall quality of life in the rural areas where farmers are predominately domiciled. The need for cooperative entrepreneurship as a sustainable way to create wealth among rural farmers calls for agricultural extension service delivery to these farmers to create awareness on cooperative entrepreneurship as well as educate them on the benefits of joining/forming one. This study therefore assessed the perceived role of agricultural extension services in promoting cooperative entrepreneurship among farmers in Ahiazu Mbaise Local Government Area, Imo State. The specific objectives were to; describe the socio-economic characteristics of the respondents, determine entrepreneurial activities engaged by the respondents; ascertain the perceived roles of agricultural extension in promoting cooperative entrepreneurship as well as to identify the perceived constraints to the discharge of these roles by extension agents. However, the study tends to examine the roles of extension services in the development of the community.