Effect of Farmers Field Business School (FFBS) on yield of small-scale rice farmers in Taraba state, Nigeria

Abstract

The study was conducted on Effect of Farmers Field Business School (FFBS) on yield of small-scale rice farmers in Taraba State, Nigeria. The specific objectives were to; describe the socioeconomic characteristics of the farmers; determine the effect of FFBS on yield of the farmers and identify the constraints associated with FFBS in the study area. Multi-stage sampling technique was used in selecting of eighty (80) respondents. Data were collected through structured questionnaire and analyze using frequency, percentage, likert scale and chi-square. The result on socio-economic characteristics of the respondents revealed that the average age was 30years. Majority 65.2% of them were male and most 65.2% were married. The mean household size was 6 persons; most 78.8% attained one form of education or the order while the mean year of rice farming experience was 6years. Most (96.3%) of them have contacts with the extension workers and their mean farm size was 3 hectares. The chi-square result indicated that FFBS improved yield of participatory farmers. The findings also indicated that insecurity, inadequate numbers of extension worker/facilitators and no follow up after training of farmers were the majors’ constraint which affected FFBS activities in the study area. Recommendations; government should device means of improve the security of life and properties of farmers, government should employ more extension workers to the ratio of 1:100 for effective training (FFBS) and extension workers should endeavour to follow up the farmers to ensure that what they have been trained was successful implemented appropriately and proffered solution to areas of challenges.