3rd PhD Annual Progress Review

Use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) amongst Smallholder Farmers and Extension workers and its

Relevance to Sustainable Good Agricultural Practices in Nigeria

PhD Candidate

Samson Olayemi SennugaM.Sc (Reading), B.Sc (Ibadan), NCE (Ijebu Ode)

Supervisors: Dr. Richard Baines Dr. John Conway

7th Dec. 2016

Let me introduce my Communities

Shika Community Primary School

The Villagers in Basawa Community Community Market in Basawa

Community Market in Shika

Community Mosque

Sources of Water

The Study Area

Purposive sampling procedure was used to select two communities (Shika and Basawa) in the Northern Guinea Savannah ecological zone of Kaduna State, North Western, Nigeria.

The Study Area

Research Aim

The overall aim of this study is to explore how ICT (Mobile phone) could be better used to improve the adoption of Good Agricultural Practices:

• To increase productivity of smallholder farmers in Nigeria using mobile phone (GSM), and improve their market intelligence.

• And as an additional tool supporting traditional extension approaches.

Major Field work

Data Analysis and Interpretation

3rd Field work I went back to the study area at the

end of the growing season to evaluate the impact of my training and the effect of ICT on GAP adoption.

I conducted the Survey using structured questionnaires.

Semi-structured interviews investigated Why farmers do not adopt technologies? (barriers to adoption).

I also conducted market intelligence using structured questionnaires in 4 rural markets.

YesDone

Sept – Oct 2016

Research Questions

1st Field work

Stratified random sampling procedure was used to select 120 farming households from 2 communities.

Adapted livelihood survey was used to create a baseline for the study.

YesDone

Jun – Jul 2015

2nd Field work

I trained 25 Lead farmers per community in the use of 16 GAP technologies.

I asked the lead farmers to train 3 farmers each. Total 200 farmers.

I divided the farmers into those that use ICT and those that rarely/without ICT. Therefore, I had 2 groups (With ICT group 100 and without ICT 100). I gave my farmers an action plan to follow

I trained ICT group how to use mobile phone to unlock markets.

Incentive to the participants (Improved seeds).Liaise with an NGO who subsidize fertilizers for my farmers.Focus Group Discussions.In depth Interview with key farmers.Similarly, Focus Group Discussions with 20 extension

workers (5 each from Govt., NGO, Academia & Private sector).

I visited their farmlands (Training & Visit Extension Model)Finally, I sent SMS text messages to ICT group only as a

reminder to follow the action plan.

YesDone

April – May 2016

Category ICT Group Non-ICT Group

Lead farmers 25 25

Trained farmers 75 75

Total 100 100

Figure 1: Level of Adoption of GAP technologies by ICT Group

Soil management

Water m

anagement

Ferti

lizer a

pplication

Crop ro

tation

Compost and Green M

anure

Cover cro

ps

Impro

ved storage

Mulching

Striga co

ntrol

Spraying of herb

icide

Impro

ved planting spacin

g of cro

ps

Pesticid

e use/P

est co

ntrol

Impro

ved seeds

Use of c

rop re

sidue to

feed liv

estock

Spacing

Zero tilla

ge0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

10088

75.568

19

5949

30

6375.5 79

27.5

78

35.546.5

5.5

26.5

Fully Adopted Partially Not Adopted

Table 1: ICT Group and Non-ICT Group

Research FindingsThe majority of the farmers fully adopted some of the recommended GAP technologies. This implies that the knowledge acquired during the training may be put to use on the farm, which may increase their production significantly.

Involvement of Active age group population in the training and farming may also increase pro...

Soil m

anage

ment

Water m

anag

emen

t

Fertilize

r applica

tion

Crop ro

tation

Compost an

d Green M

anure

Cover cr

ops

Improve

d storag

e

Mulching

Striga

contro

l

Spray

ing of h

erbicid

e

Improve

d planting s

pacing o

f crops

Pesticid

e use/

Pest co

ntrol

Impro

ved se

eds

Use of c

rop resid

ue to fe

ed liv

estock

Spaci

ng

Zero tillag

e0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

60

50.5 49.5

15

40

30.5

12.5

40.5

5650

21

48.5

20

29.5

4

16.5

Fully Adopted PartiallyNot Adopted

63

Figure 2: Level of Adoption of GAP technologies by Non-ICT Group

Research Findings

Study results showed that the farmers understood the GAP technologies. This implied that most farmers used the recommended technologies.

67

Average Adoption Rate

Fully Adopted Partially Not Adopted0

10

20

30

40

50

60

51.55

35.68

12.683136.9

32.09

ICT Group Non-ICT Group

Figure 3: Average Level of Adoption Rate Between ICT Group and Non-ICT Group

An intermediate proportion of the farmers (66.5%) had primary education; they were educated and literate. Involvement of literate populations in training and farming could increase understanding of the subject matter, hence increasing the adoption of GAP technologies and innovation.

Influence of SMS reminders on Adoption between ICT Group and Non-ICT Group

The t-test analysis showed a positive and highly significant association between SMS and adoption (P<0.01) in ICT group, while a negative significant existed in Non-ICT group (P<0.07).

Significant Non-significant0

0.01

0.02

0.03

0.04

0.05

0.06

0.07

P<0.01

P<0.07

ICT Group Non-ICT Group

This implies that the SMS reminders significantly influenced adoption of the GAP technologies.

This finding is a unique aspect of this study when compared to previous studies, and infers that adoption of improved technologies may be influenced by the use of SMS texts.

Figure 4: Farmers’ Perceptions Regarding Effectiveness of the Overall Training Delivered by the Researcher (N200)

Very effectiveEffective

Not effective

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

70.5

27

2.5

A greater proportion of the farmers (97.5%) perceivedthe overall GAP training as generally effective.

This suggests that the training was effective.

Very effective Effective Not effective0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70 66.5

28.5

5.0

Figure 5: Effectiveness of the Training delivered by the lead farmers to their peers

Majority of the farmers (95%) felt that the GAP training delivered by the lead farmers was effective, while only (5%) reported the opposite opinion.This implies that the training given by the lead farmers was generally effective.

Figure 6: Effectiveness of ICT/SMS messages as a remainder by ICT user

This suggests that nearly all the farmers (93%) agreed that SMS reminders were effective.

Yes Partially No0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

76.5

19.5

4

Do you think the use of ICT has any signi-ficant impact and increases your agricul-

tural productivity?

A greater proportion of the farmers (76.5%) felt that ICT had significantly impacted on their agricultural productivity. Generally, ICT (Mobile phone) were perceived as a veritable tool by farmers.

Yes I don’t know No0

102030405060708090

79.5

14.56

Do you believe that ICT/SMS text mes-sages play an important role in prompting

you to adopt GAP technologies

High Average Low0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

9077.5

20

2.5

How much do you follow the Ac-tion plan set for this study

Very useful

Useful

Somewhat useful

Not useful

0 10 20 30 40 50 60

50.5

39

7.5

3

Usefulness of ICT to improve adoption of GAP

Yes No0

102030405060708090

100

93

7

Getting up to date information via your mobile phone

Use of ICT (Mobile phone) amongst Smallholder Farmers

Barriers to Adoption of GAP technologies by Non-ICT Group and ICT Group

High level of Illiteracy

You (researcher) did not remind us

Prefer conventional farming method

High cost of herbicides

Cannot access my action plan

I did not remember/lack of information

Lack of Cash to purchase fertilizer

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100

18

30

42

55

68

76

89

ICT GroupNon-ICT Group

Low awareness level/knowledge

Lack of farm machinery

Inadequate farmland

High cost of improved seeds

Poor Government Policy in Nigeria

High cost of herbicides

High cost of Fertilizer

Financial constriants

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100

14

23

31

42

61

72

80

93.5

Figure 7: Barriers to Adoption of GAP Technologies by Farmers in the study Area

A New Model for using Mobile phone to improve Extension services to Smallholder farmers’ in order to improve their productivity and livelihood Nigeria

Proposed Model

Price Information from market

Know

ledg

e

ICT/Mobile phone bridge the gap

between agricultural extension

agents and farm

ers thereby

enhancing agricultural production.

ICT/Mobile phone Improving Extension Service to Smallholder farmers in Nigeria

Smallholder Farmers.Ground preparation..Cultivation method..Weather information..When to plant..Good Agricultural practices/ techniques..Seeds varietal information..Fertilizer prices & availability..Irrigation methods..Agronomic advice.Storage options..Access to Financial services..Information about Government/NGO soft loan

SMS or voice Extension services

in Nigeria

Market/Traders.Fertilizer prices..Seeds availability..Commodity prices.Whom to sell.Crop prices.Prices and effectiveness

Research Institutions

SMS

or v

oice

SMS or voice

Farmer seeking advice

Analysis of Data and Interpretation.

Interpretation and Discussion.

Revisit my Research Questions.

Recommendation and Conclusion.

Future Plan for Year 3

Journal Papers ready for publication:1. Sennuga, S.O., Baines, R.N. & Conway, J.S. (2016) Role of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) in

Enhancing Food Utilization among Smallholder Farmers’ Households in Northern Nigeria.

2. Sennuga, S.O., Baines, R.N. & Conway, J.S. (2016) Effect of Smallholder Socio-Economic Characteristics on Farming Households’ Food Security in Northern Nigeria.

3. Sennuga, S.O., Baines, R.N. & Conway, J.S. (2016) Practice and level of Awareness of Good Agricultural Practices among Smallholder Farmers in the adopted villages in Northern Nigeria.

Conference paper: Sennuga, S.O.(2016) Practice and level of Awareness of Good Agricultural Practices among Smallholder Farmers in the adopted villages in Northern Nigeria, University of Gloucestershire, UK.

Seminar Presentations: 2015 Royal Agricultural University researchers’ seminar. Topic: Use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) among Smallholder Farmers and Extension workers and its Relevance to Sustainable Good Agricultural Practices in Nigeria. 20th May, 2015, Cirencester, United Kingdom.

2016 Royal Agricultural University researchers’ seminar. Topic: Use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) among Smallholder Farmers and Extension workers and its Relevance to Sustainable Good Agricultural Practices in Nigeria. 11th Jan, 2016, Cirencester, United Kingdom.

Articles and Presentations

Research Progress by Gantt Chart

Impact /Contribution of My PhD Research

Conclusion to date

Findings revealed that adoption of improved technologies may be influenced by the use of SMS texts, in addition, the use of “lead farmers” may be utilized to spread knowledge and support the adoption and utilization of GAP to ordinary farmers in the community.

This study will complement current extension with the use of ICTs in order to boost production and improve rural livelihood which is seriously lacking according to the literature.

It is anticipated that this study will help create rural prosperity in the Northwestern Nigeria and may provide the stimulus for Agricultural Information Centers to be established in the two communities via the Ministry of Agriculture in order to reach the unreached.

Presentation of incentive The Village head expressed his appreciation to the researcher

Community meetingICT Training

AcknowledgementSupervisorsDr. Richard BainesDr. John Conway

Thank you.