Assessment Of The Impact Of Extension Services On Livestock Production In Omuma Local Government Area Of Rivers State

This study examined the impact of extension services on livestock output in six communities in Omuma Local Government Area of Rivers State. It also examined the demographic characteristics of livestock farmers as correlates of sustained use of livestock technologies. A total of 120 respondents randomly selected and interviewed comprising 20 livestock farmers from each of the six communities in Omuma Local Government Area. A structured questionnaire was administered to the respondents and the data collected were used for the study. Percentages and chi-square analysis were employed to analyse the data. Findings revealed that more male (83.3%) than female (16.7%) were involved in livestock farming in the study area. Results showed that majority of the livestock farmers (50%) had only primary education while very few (12.5%) had up to second degree. The study also reveals that 80% of the respondents were married. The analysis revealed that 41.8% respondents were visited regularly by extension agents and veterinary personnel while 45.8% claimed only occasional visits and 12.5% confessed of no visits at all to their farms. Chi-square analysis of demographic characteristics at P < 0.05 level of significance showed that age (X2 = 102.92), gender (X2 = 53.33) marital status (X2 = 221.27) and level of education (X2 = 52.92) had significant relationship with the impact of extension services on livestock production. The study concludes that there is need to disseminate developed technologies from research Institutes to farmers through media like agricultural development projects (ADP), school to land etc. using extension agents (Ekumankama, 1997). There is also an identified need to develop a new way of making these technologies available to the farmers, to increase their awareness so that when the technologies are fully adapted and integrated as part of their practices, they can be sustained in our local environment to boost livestock productivity Keywords: Extension agents, livestock farmers, demographic characteristics, technologies, impactGlobal Journal of Agricultural Sciences Vol. 7 (1) 2008: pp. 49-52