Social inclusion of landless farmers in extension services in delta state, Nigeria: Implications for agricultural development

Abstract

This study considered the level of inclusion of landless farmers in extension services in Delta State, Nigeria. A sample size of 355 landless farmers who were randomly selected formed the respondents used for this study. The results show that they had a mean age of 45 years and were mostly females who were also mostly married with little level of formal education as their highest level of formal education was secondary education. They had a mean household size of 7 persons and average farming experience of 11.5 years with mean farm size of 2 ha and very many of them did not subscribe to farmer's groups. They were mostly (70.70%) indigenes of the communities where they resided. Their level of social inclusion in agricultural extension benefits was poor (inclusion index = 0.45). They had an average crop output of 9000kg annually. Their level of social inclusion in agricultural extension services influenced their level of outputs. Their level of social inclusion was significantly influenced by their socioeconomic attributes of age, gender, marital status, and level of formal education, household size, farming experiences, group membership and indigene status. It was concluded that the landless farmers were socially excluded from agricultural extension services. It is recommended that extension agents should change their attitudes towards this class of farmers; and extension agents should persuasively convince the farmers to subscribe to membership of their relevant farmers' groups