Evaluation of Crops Production Innovation Strategies and Farmer’s Education Needs for Sustainable Production in Kauru Local Government Area of Kaduna State

Abstract

Successive Nigeria government since independence have made quite a number of efforts to establish new facts, policies and ideas to conceive subsistent poor resource farmers on improved farm technologies and extension services for increased crop yield without success, hence the country wallow in abject poverty and hunger. Kauru Local Government, a predominantly crop farmers’ environment was used to establish crop production innovations and farmers’ extension education needs. A total of 150 structured questionnaires were randomly distributed to 15 farmers each in 10 villages, in the selected districts. Data were subjected to simple descriptive statistics, 4-point rating scale and mathematical techniques. Results indicates that 81.3 % were males at the age of 31-50 years, but mostly illiterates, although 36 % attained secondary and tertiary education. Of the 150 farmers, 66.7 % had 21 to 30 years’ experience in crop production, and depended mostly on friends/neighbours and radio; 31.3 % and 26.3 %, respectively for agricultural innovation information. Results suggested that farmers required information on pest management strategies, fertilizer (acquisition and application), crop yield improvement, processing and storage, marketing, growing dry season crops and information acquisition among others. Therefore, farmers need adequate education possibly through farm shows, field days and extension services for sustainable crop production in the area