Assessment of Post-harvest Management Information Needs of Yam Farmers in Kogi State, Nigeria

Subject Areas : Agricultural Extension

P. E  Adejo ¹ (Department of Agricultural Economics and Extension, Kogi State University Anyigba, Kogi State.)
J. O  Okwu ² (Department of Agricultural Extension and Communication University of Agriculture, Makurdi)
V. O  Okwoche ³ (Department of Agricultural Extension and Communication University of Agriculture, Makurdi)

Received: 2015-01-21 Accepted : 2015-04-25 Published : 2015-05-01

Keywords: Yam farmers, Information needs, Post-harvest management,

Abstract :

The study assessed the post-harvest management information needs of yam farmers in Kogi State. Interview schedules were used to collect data from 189 yam farmers who were randomly selected from the four agricultural zones of the State (Zone A, B, C and D) by using multistage random sampling techniques. The data collected were subjected to descriptive statistics and binary logit regression. Result shows that majority of the yam farmers highly sought for information on storage (52.91%) and markets/market prices (50.79%). Logit regression analysis shows that educational level and extension contacts at 1% and income and age at 5% were found to have had significant effect on the farmers’ access to improved post-harvest management information on yam. It is recommended that improving the educational background of yam farmers through adult educational system, ensuring access of yam farmers to needed information on improved post-harvest management technologies, and the preservation and propagation of some effective indigenous post-harvest management of yam would go a long way to boost their participation in post-harvest activities for better value addition to harvested yam.

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