Assessment of public and private extension administration in southwestern nigeria

Journal of Biology, Agriculture and Healthcare
ISSN 2224-3208 (Paper) ISSN 2225-093X (Online)
Vol.3, No.19, 2013

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Assessment of Public and Private Extension Administration in
Southwestern Nigeria
Ayansina, S.O1 Adekunle, O.A2 Oyeyinka, R.A3 and Ayandiji, A4
1&3.
Department of Agricultural Administration, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta. Nigeria
2.
Department of Agricultural Extension and Rural Development, University of Ilorin, Nigeria
4.
Department of Agricultural Economics and Extension, Bowen University, Iwo, Nigeria
*E-mail Corresponding Author spayansina@yahoo.com

Abstract
The delivery of agricultural extension and programme administration vis-à-vis their effectiveness has been of
great concern in Nigeria. This study is evolved to evaluate the determinants of public and private extension
delivery process in southwestern Nigeria. A multi stage random sampling technique was used to select thirty (30)
respondents among the beneficiaries of each of the three selected organizations in the three purposively selected
states in the study area. In all, two hundred and seventy (270) respondents were finally selected but two hundred
and sixty four (264) interview schedules were returned. Descriptive and inferential statistics were employed to
analyze the data collected. Descriptive tools include frequency counts and percentages, while Kruskal Wallis
one-way analyses of variance were utilized to test the hypotheses of the study. Results revealed that Kruskal
Wallis Ranking (X2-0.7.09, assyp.sig.of. 0.702) indicates that the attitude of farmers under the public and private
extension administration were not significantly difference. Summary of correlation results of relationship
between attitude and level of patronage of extension programme in public and private organizations also reveals
negative r-value in public extension (-0.078, p<0.05) and the two private extension organizations, JDPMRUDEP (-0.056, P<0.05) and FADU (-0.075, p<0.05) which imply inverse and non-significant relationships
between the attitude and level of patronage of extension programmes of any organization. Extension works are
more result efficient in private organizations than in public outfit, synthesis of public and private sectors is
recommended in order to obtain durable, functional and result oriented extension works in Nigeria. Public and
private organizations are also enjoined to be more up and doing and as well be flexible in their programme
approach and working objectives in order to address the basic needs of their registered beneficiaries.
Key Words:- Administration, Determinants, Public and Private Extension,

1. Introduction
The deficiency of Nigeria Government in the administration of agricultural extension was the factor responsible
for her inability to cater for the development of agriculture and rural areas. Strengthening of national agricultural
support system has been advocated as a strategy for increasing agricultural production in Sub-Saharan Africa by
governments in the region and by international development agencies (Bindlish and Evenson, 1997). The T &V
system (training and visit) system of agricultural extension has been central to this strategy. World Banksupported agricultural extension programmes, based on the T&V system which has been implemented in some
thirty Sub-Saharan countries or in about three-fifths of African countries. A substantial amount of resources has
been committed to this system, both by national governments and international development agencies (Bindlish
and Evenson, 1993). There is however an emerging controversy as to cost-effectiveness and productivity of a
national system of agricultural extension, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa where governments’ ability to meet
a large recurrent cost that the system entails is limited (Purcell and Anderson, 1997 and Gautam, 1998).. The fact
is well acknowledged in Nigeria government circles, academics and among the citizenry. It was this awareness
that led to the involvement of some private individual and organizations in the provision of extension and rural
development process. Non-governmental organizations or private extension outfit are referred to as a wide range
of organized people, groups, system or services that are not directly set up, funded, controlled and operated by
government or any of it’s agencies. (Adedoyin and Omolafe, 1995). It is further described as any national or
international private non-profit making institutions with development objectives (bebington, et al, 1993).
Government or public extension in other hand is described as the extension activities provided by government
under the authority of Agricultural Development Programme (ADP) in all states of Nigeria to cater for the needs
of farmers. Agicultural extension administration is expected to foster a sustainable and dynamic approach to
agricultural development and which has remained of great concern to the government and priority for discourse
in policy arena (Agwu et al., 2008).
It is the realization of this fact that has made the successive Nigerian government to make effort towards raising
the productivity level of rural people. The country has therefore, over the years, tried many agricultural extension

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systems which include Agricultural Development Project (ADP).Agricultural Development Project was initiated
in 1975 at the pilot project level, the success of which resulted into many designs which prominently include the
statewide project. The statewide ADPs, are extension of the enclave project to other local government areas
(LGA) not covered by the initial ADPs. Presently, all the states in the country are implementing the programme.
The programme focuses on rural integrated development strategy for agricultural and rural transformation. The
establishment of these statewide ADPs raised the hope of farmers in genuine commitment to the eliminations of
the socio political and economic problems that kept them in cycle of poverty (Akinbode, 1989). The ADPs
across the country adopted the training and visit system (T&V) in order to boost production, solve the prevailing
extension problem, foster self- reliance and sustain the problem, foster self-reliance and sustain the agricultural
sector. In Nigeria, it is observed that ADP has weaknesses, these include excessive cost of input delivery,
bureaucratic inefficiencies that here led to poor formulation and implementation of extension programmes and
failure to address the peculiar needs of farmers
Other problems are poor staff training, inadequate coordination with university and research centre, inadequate
content of extension message, inconsistent government regulations, inadequate farmers’ involvement, national
policy and sustainability. All these have caused much bureaucratic inefficiencies in public extension. In variance
with the above, some empirically conducted studies and expert observations established it as fact that extension
services offered by the private companies are better in quality and more effective than public system (Al-Rimawi
and Al-kaabileh 2001). Success of some private extension providers among small scale farmers in Nigeria is also
documented. Such studies include those conducted by: Kuponiyi, Ogunwale and Oladosu (1998), and Adefarasin
(2000).
It is against this backdrop that this study is set to achieve the following objectives.
1.
2.

To identify the extension delivery administration of public and private extension organizations.
To determine the factors/ reasons influencing the participants’ involvement in the extension programmes of
the organizations in the study.

1.1 Study Hypotheses
1
Significant difference does not exist between the attitudes of beneficiaries of public and private extension
organization to their organizations’ extension delivery administration.
2
Beneficiaries attitudes and participation in the extension delivery programmes of public and private
organizations are not significantly difference
2. Methodology
The study was undertaken in Ogun, Osun and Oyo States of the southwestern part of Nigeria. The area was
chosen purposively due to the concentration of the activities of the selected private organization in the place
(Olujide, 2000).
Multi stage random sampling technique was used to selected respondents in the three selected states. The study
focused on the beneficiaries of the public extension i.e. agricultural development programme (ADP) and Private
Extension Organizations such as Justice Development and Peace Movement- Rural Development (JDPMRUDEP) and Farmers’ Development Union (FADU). Equal number of respondents, thirty (30) were selected
from each organization in each of the three states of the study. At the final selection stage, two hundred and
seventy (270) respondents were sampled to provide data for the study. Interview schedules were used to collect
relevant information from the sampled beneficiaries.
Descriptive and inferential statistics were employed to analyze the data collected. The descriptive tools such as
frequency counts and percentages were used to present the data on personal and socio economic characteristics
while inferential statistics such as Kruskal Wallis one-way analysis of variances (ANOVA) by ranks and Pearson
Product Momment Corelation were used to test the study hypotheses.
The order for estimating the ranks is outlined thus; the equation for extracting the rank is outlined as:

12
H =
(NCN +1)

ni ( N +1) 

∑1 ni  Ri − 2 


i =1
75

2

................................ (iv )

Where R is the sum of the ranks assigned to
Observation in the ith sample and ni (n+1)2
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is the expected sum of rank for the ith treatment.
PPMC model specified as:
r

=r =

[N ∑ X

n ∑ XY − (∑ X )(∑ Y )

2

] [

− (∑ X ) − N ∑ Y 2 − (∑ Y )
2

2

]

where r = correlation coefficient as established between n and y
3. Results and Discussions
3.1 Extension Delivery Administration:
As reveals in table 1, extension delivery services administered by each of the selected organizations under the
study were examined. According to the table, fertilizer application was the only extension service with average
participation among the beneficiaries of public extension organization. In JOPM-RUDEP, participation was
higher than average in credit administration (88.50%), training on crop utilization (70/3%), workshop/seminar
(71.2%), improved livestock procurement (87.3%), processing management (59.7%) and new farming technique
(55.1%). On the same table, FADU beneficiaries recorded higher percentage in training of crop utilization
(86.2%), credit utilization / administration (73.5%), supervision/advisory (70.1%) while workshop/seminar
information dissemination and fertilizer supply accounted for 66.6%, 52.8% and 51.7% respectively.
The varieties of activities and projects stimulate participation of the beneficiaries and also determine farmer’s
level of participation. The findings show that beneficiaries recorded higher participations in private organizations
programme than in public extension outfit. The results corroborate the assertion of Rivera et al, (2006) who
recommended the merger of public and private organizations if lots of the farmers are to be better.
3.2 Reasons/factors determining choice of organizations programme
Information on factors determining the beneficiaries’ choice of extension organization were sought. The three
factors that are prominent among others in all organizations were financial input, input supply and
supervisory/advisory work. According to the table, the proportion of beneficiaries indicated each of the above
services as reasons for the choice of the organization were higher in FADU and JDPM-RUDEP than in the
public extension organization. Other reasons with significant proportion among beneficiaries of JDPM-RUDEP
were staff efficiency 78.1%, general donation (70.1% financial improvement (57.4%) education and training
(56.3%) and regular workshop/seminar (51.7%). FADU beneficiaries recorded other important programmes
affecting them, these include financial improvement (78.1%) and innovation procurement and demonstration
(58.6%). It is revealed that qualities of extension delivery administration serve as the determinants for the choice
of organization’s programme. The result is in agreement with Ogunwale and Oladosu (1998) who declared the
extension works qualities as a good determinant of beneficiaries preference for such an organization.
3.3 Tested Hypotheses
In order to establishes the relationships among the variables of the study, Kruskal Walls one-way analysis of
variance (ANOVA) was used to analyze the relationship between the attitude of the beneficiaries of the public
and private organizations to their extension delivery administrations. As shown on table 3, the results of Kruskal
walls ranking (X2=0.709, assyp sig. of 0.702) indicates that the attitude of farmers under the public and private
extension administration were not significantly difference. This implies that irrespective of extension
organization, attitude of beneficiaries remains same but can only discriminate along the gender line, which may
only be associated with factors such as academic qualification among women making them unqualified for
extension work, unwillingness of some qualified women to work in rural areas and unacceptable means of
transport to some women extension agents (van den ban 1996).
Furthermore, summary of correlation results of relationship between the attitude and level of patronage of
extension programmes in public and private organization was also investigated as shown on table 4. The table
indicates negative r-value in public extension (-0.078, p<0.05) and the two private organizations, JDPM-RUDEP
(-0.056, P<0.05) and FADU (-0.075, p<0.05) this imply an inverse relationships. These non significant values
reveals that patronage of the extension programme of any organizations were not a function of their attitudinal
disposition to such an organization’s programmes.
In this regard, it is established that irrespective of the attitude of the farmers, it has no effect on their patronage of
any extension programme. The result is contrary to Olujide (1999) and Ajayi (2004) who found attitude to be
positively and significantly related to the farmers participation in the extension programmes of the organizations.

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4. Conclusions and Recommendations
The increasing level of private involvement in agricultural extension administration is an indication of inability
of government alone to cope with the required level of agricultural development and the rural development in the
region. It is the acknowledgement of this fact in government circle and in the midst of the citizenry that stimulate
the quest to investigate other factors inhibiting the functional and result oriented extension administration.
This study however, revealed higher qualities and patronage of extension programmes as documented in private
organizations. Beneficiaries’ attitudes to public and private extension outfits were not significantly different
while the level of patronage of the two types of the extension organizations in the study were never related to
their attitudinal dispositions. The quality of private extension administration is thus an outstanding fact in that it
was able to live above the weakness of public extension such as excessive cost of input delivery, poor
formulation and implementations of extension programmes, poor staff training and inadequate farmers’
involvement among others. It is therefore recommended that, the two types of extension organizations be
progressive in their working operations and as well flexible in their approach and working objectives in order to
address the basic needs of their registered farmers. Synthesis (merger) of public and private extension sectors is
also recommend in order to obtain durable, functional and result oriented extension works in Nigeria.
References
Adedoyin, S.F. and Omolafe, K. (1995). Effective integration of N.G.Os into the extension delivery system in
Nigeria. Paper presented at seminar organized by DADP in Ijebu-Ode on May 11, 1995 pp7.
Babington, A, Farrington, J. WIlliand, K, and Lewis, D.J. (1993). Reluctant partners? Non-Government
Organizations, the states and sustainable agricultural development USA and Canada: Root ledge 29 west
35th street, New York, NY10001, pp, 91-120
Adefarasin, G.B. (2000). The impact of SPCE Agricultural Extension Programme on Farmer in Oil Producing
Area of Delta State (Unpublished M.Sc. Thesis University of Ibadan)
Agwu, A.E, Dimalu, M.U and Madukwe, M.C (2008). Innovation System approaches to Agricultural
Development: Policy Implementation for Agricultural Extension delivery in Nigeria, African Journal of
Biotechnology vol. 7 (ii).
Akinbode, I.A (1989). “A Discussion Paper on Extension Services with the Strategy of Agricultural
Development in Nigeria in the 1990’s University of
Ife, Algeria pp 36-43.
Alh-Rimawi, A.S and Al-Karablieh, Z.E (2001). The role of commercial sector in
Agricultural Extension in Jordan Journal of International Agriculture and Extension vol. 8 No 3.
Bindlish, Vishva, and Robert E. Evenson (1993). Evaluation of the Performance of T & V Extension in Kenya,
World Bank Technical Paper No. 208, Africa Technical Department Series, The World Bank,
Washington D.C.
Bindlish, Vishva and Robert E. Evenson (1997). The Impact of T & V Extension in Africa :The Experience of
Kenya and Burkina Faso, The World Bank Research Observer, 12 (2): 183-185
Koponiyi, F.A; A.B. Ogunwale, and I.O. Oladosu (1998). Private Participation in Agricultural Extension. The
cases of the Nigeria Tobacco Company. Paper presented at the 4th Annual Conference of Agricultural
Extension Society of Nigeria (AESON) Federal University of Agriculture Makurdi, Nigeria.
Ogunwale, A.B and Oladosu I.O (1998). “Farmers’ Level of Satisfaction with farm input support services in Oyo
State, Nigeria” Journal of Extension Vol. 1 No 1 pp. 51-56.
Olujide M.G (1999). Activities of Selected Non-Governmental Organization in the South
Western Nigeria. Unpublished PhD. Thesis, University of Ibadan, Nigeria.
Van den ban, A.W and H.S Awkins (1996). Agricultural Extension. (Second Edition) Oxford Blackwell Science
Ltd.
W.M. Rivera (2008). Transforming Agricultural Extension. Emergence of “Hybrid Sector” Alliance between the
public and private sectors: in O.S. Verma (ed) Journal of Agricultural Extension.

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TABLE 1: Distribution of Respondent’s participation level in selected extension services.
EXTENSION SERVICE
PUBLIC EXTENSION JDPM-RUDEP FADU
New farming techniques
33
36.7
48
55.1
31 35.6
Workshop
21
34.4
62
71.2
58 66.6
Supervision /advisory services 38
42.2
51
58.6
61 70.1
Information dissemination
28
31.1
41
47.1
46 52.8
Training on record keeping
13
14.4
39
44.8
33 37.9
Training on crop utilization
45
50.0
76
87.3
75 86.2
Credit admin/utilization
12
13.33
77
88.50
64 73.5
Processing/mgt tech.
32
35.5
52
59.7
51 58.6
Veterinary services
37
41.1
33
37.9
22 25.2
Input support services e.g.
50
55.5
40
45.9
45 51.7
Fertilizer supply
Improved crop varieties
36
40.0
31
35.6
36 41.3
Improved livestock
41
45.5
61
70.1
41 47.1
Multiple responses
Source: Field survey
Table 2: Distribution of Respondents on reasons for the choice of benefactors organizations programme
REASONS*
OVERALL
PUBLIC
JDPM-RUDEP
FADU
RESPONSES
EXTENSION
F
%
F
%
F
%
F
%
Regular Input Supply
169
64.0
47
52.2
59
67.8
63
72.4
Financial Input
172
65.1
35
38.8
57
65.5
80
91.9
Supervisory / Advisory services
150
56.8
33
36.6
69
79.3
48
55.1
Financial Improvement
154
58.3
36
40.0
50
57.4
68
78.1
Farm Business Management
111
42.0
34
37.7
32
36.7
45
51.7
Innovation,
Procurement
and 89
33.7
25
27.7
13
14.9
51
58.6
Demonstration
Education & Training
114
43.1
32
12.1
49
56.3
33
37.9
Donation Generally
138
52.2
32
12.1
61
70.1
45
51.7
Regular Workshop/Seminar
109
41.2
31
11.7
45
51.7
33
37.9
Staff Efficiency
127
48.1
21
7.9
68
78.1
38
43.6
Source: Field Survey
*Multiple Responses
TABLE 3: Kruskal Wallis Ranking of Beneficiates Attitudes under Public and Private Extension
Organizations.
EXTENSION ORGANIZATION ATTITUDE RANK
Public Extension
137.33
JDPM-RUDEP
137.33
FADU
131.83
TEST STATISTICS
Chi-Square X2
df
Asyp: Sig
Source: Data Analysis 2008 * Significant

VALUES
0.709
2
0.702

DECISION
Not significant

Table 4 Summary of correlation result of relationship between attitude and level of patronage of
extension programmes in public and the selected private extension organizations.
Organization
r-value
Significance
Public Extension
-0.078
Not Significant
JDPM-RUDEP
-0.056
Not Significant
FADU
-0.075
Not Significant
Source: Data Analysis
*Significance at 0.05** Significance at 0.10
49

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