Training Needs of Arable Crop Farmers on Climate- Smart Agricultural Practices in Ekiti State, Nigeria

Abstract

This study examined the training needs of arable crop farmers on climate-smart agricultural practices CSAP in Ekiti State. A three-stage sampling procedure was used to select one hundred and eighty respondents from whom data were elicited using questionnaire, interview schedule and Focus Group Discussions. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Pearson product moment correlation and regression model. The study revealed that majority (72.6%) of the respondents were male farmers, with the mean age of 46.37±12.54 years. They were mostly married (88.8%) and educated (93.9%). The mean household size and annual income were 9.68±8.09 persons and NGN701,550.28±861,081.78, respectively. More than half (53.6%) of the respondents belong to cooperative societies. They mostly accessed information on CSAP through radio (x̄=2.17). Financial constraints (x̄=2.69) was the most severe constraint militating against CSAP. The training need was high among the majority (52.5%) of the farmers. Sources of information (r=0.182, p=0.015), and constraints (r=0.270, p=0.000) were significantly correlated with the training needs of the farmers on CSAP. The regression analysis revealed that farmers’ sources of information (β=0.194 p=0.008) and the constraints militating against CSAP among them (β=0.261, p=0.000) had significant relationships with their training needs. Conclusively, the need for training on climate-smart agricultural practices was high among the arable crop farmers, most especially on integrated pest management and disease control system. Sources of information and constraints significantly predicted the training needs of the arable crop farmers on climate- smart agricultural practices in the study area.