Abstract

This study assessed radio utilisation for extension service delivery to farmers? in rural communities of Abia State, Nigeria. The specific objectives of the study included analyses of the socio-economic characteristics of the respondents, ascertaining the access/ownership of radio and frequency of use of radio for extension service delivery to the respondents. A multi-stage sampling technique was adopted in selecting126 respondents for the study in the three agricultural zones of the State namely; Umuahia, Aba and Ohafia. Structured questionnaire and scheduled interview were employed to elicit information from the respondents. Data were analysed using frequency distributions, percentages, mean and ordinary least square regression analysis. The result showed that the area was fairly dominated by males (51.59%). The respondents had a mean age of 44 years. It also showed that majority (79.36%) of the farmers were married. The average income earned by a respondent per week was N2631.15k. The findings also revealed that (87.30%) of the respondent had access/ownership to radio and frequency of use of radio was high (83.57%). The factors that significantly influenced the use of radio for extension service delivery were age and marital status at 1% level of probability and frequency of extension contact at 5% level of probability. The study recommended that rural farmers? access to radio should be sustained to ensure adequate awareness of innovations generated by research institutes and other governmental and non-governmental agencies. Rural farmers? radio forum should be formed to increase access to information by farmers. Extension workers should put moreconcerted effort to develop the use of radio as a valuable source of agricultural information. They should be educated to direct the content of the message to address the needs of the farmers.

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