Extension Agents' Attitudes and Participation in Disseminating Climate-smart Agricultural Practices in North-Central, Nigeria

Ibukun Elizabath Ojo^1*Akerele Dare²Ayorinde Kolawole^1*Abigail Adeyonu¹Ayotunde Owolabi¹Ikechukwu Chike¹Ogunsuyi Deborah Pelumi¹Ogundele Abisola Adeola¹

• ¹Landmark University, Omu-Aran, Nigeria
• ²Federal University of Agriculture Abeokuta, Abeokuta, Nigeria

Low uptake of Climate-Smart Agricultural Practices (CSAPs) continues to exacerbate food insecurity and vulnerability in regions already burdened by poverty. CSAPs refer to agricultural methods that enhance productivity, climate resilience, and environmental sustainability. The effectiveness of extension agents is critical in promoting these practices, and their inefficiency can significantly weaken community resilience against hunger and environmental shocks. This study investigates the attitudes and participation of agricultural extension agents in disseminating CSAPs among rice farmers in North Central Nigeria. A multistage sampling procedure was used to select 88 extension agents. Data were collected using a questionnaire and analyzed using means, percentages, and probit regression. The result shows that more than half of the extension agents (52.3%) had unfavorable attitudes towards CSAPs, and a good percentage (53.4%) of the extension agents had low participation in disseminating CSA Practices on index-based weather insurance (𝑥̅ = 0.00), water harvesting (𝑥̅ =0.92), drip irrigation (𝑥̅ =0.73), and Integrated Pest Management (IPM) (𝑥̅ =0.62) among rice farmers. The number of training sessions (p=0.011) the extension agents received on CSA practices positively influenced their attitude. However, contact with agency (p=0.025) and the attitude of the extension agents were the major determinants of their participation in disseminating the CSA practices. The Pearson Product-Moment Correlation analysis showed a positive and statistically significant linear relationship between the attitude of agricultural extension agents and the number of trainings they received on CSA practices. Hence, frequent and structured training programs should be organized for the extension agents to enhance the positive perception of CSAPs. More so, extension agents should be motivated through promotions, financial incentives, and consistent support from both government agencies and agricultural institutions to increase participation in disseminating CSAPs and contributing to the overall development goals of the country.