Asian Journal of Agricultural Extension, Economics & Sociology

The study assessed the factors affecting poultry (broiler) production in Imo State, Nigeria. Multistage sampling technique was used in selecting the respondents. A total of eighty four (84) poultry producers were randomly selected with the aid of well-structured questionnaire. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and multiple regression models. The result shows that majority (59.5%) of the producers were male, mean age was 45 years, mean household size was 6 persons, 67.86% of the producers attended tertiary education, mean years of farming experience was 9.3 years. The multiple regression analysis showed that farm experience, drug costs, farm size and disease occurrence were statistically significant at 10% level of probability implying that these are the key factors affecting poultry production. The major constraints militating against poultry production were high feed cost, lack of fund, outbreak of disease and high transportation cost. The study recommended that the government should provide credit facilities to poultry producers to abate lack of fund and provision of appropriate vaccines in the study area.

Technology transfer to farmers is essential for the improvement of agricultural production in a country like Bangladesh. In connection this issue, the study was conducted to assess the extent of problems faced by Sub Assistant Agricultural Officers (SAAOs) in technology transfer as well as explore the relationship between the selected characteristics of Sub Assistant Agricultural Officers and problems faced by them in technology transfer. The study was conducted in five sub-districts of Narayanganj district namely, Narayanganj sadar, Bandar, Sonargaon, Araihazar and Rupganj with a sample size of 129 by questionnaire method through a structured questionnaire. Spearman’s Rank Correlation Coefficient was used to test the relationship between the selected eight characteristics of SAAOs and the problems faced in technology transfer. The findings reveal that 70.50% of the SAAOs encounter high problems while 27.90% and 1.60% respondents were in medium and low problem category respectively. Spearman’s Rank Correlation Coefficient analysis also revealed that training exposure, job satisfaction and use of the internet showed a negative significant relationship with the problems faced in technology transfer. Based on Problem Faced Index (PFI), “lack of required teaching aid” ranked the highest problem followed by “lack of transportation facilities”.

The paucity of empirical evidence to show the correlation between microcredit and poverty reduction in North-East, Nigeria led to the study on the effect of microcredit on poverty reduction among rural farm households. Multi-stage random and purposive sampling techniques were employed to select 200 farm households who constituted the sample size. Data were collected primarily using structured questionnaire and analysed with the aid of descriptive and inferential statistics. The results showed informal microcredit as the major source of credit for farm households. The result further indicated that 46% of the loan applied for was disbursed, resulting to 47% rise in farm household’s income. Meanwhile, 62% of farm households surveyed were poor with poverty depth of 0.43 and poverty severity at 0.38. The regression analysis on the effect of microcredit on the income of the farm households revealed that the coefficient of income was positive and statistically significant at 1% probability. The effect of microcredit on the poverty profile of farm households revealed that microcredit exerts negative influence on poverty profile of farm households in the study area. The study recommends: the establishment of robust rural credit scheme in rural areas; and institution of policy framework that will enable poor rural households without appropriate collateral to access funds for farm and non-farm activities.

A study was conducted on 120 poultry farm women in the Thane district of Maharashtra to study time utilization and Strength, Weakness, Opportunities, Threats (SWOT) analysis among Farm Women in poultry farming. Farm women having a minimum of 2 poultry birds with 1 to 3 years of experience were selected. Data were collected personally with the help of a pre-tested structured interview schedule and analyzed with the help of the equidistance method and Garrett ranking.0020Farm women used to spend minimal time on poultry farming activities along with their regular activities as Poultry is very easy to rear and manage in the backyard of the home without any specific inputs on feeding and additionally, it is the cheapest source of protein. Further, lack of micro-finance facilities was limited which lowered the development of poultry activities including constructing sheds, buying breed specific birds, quality and balanced feeds. The majority of the farm women used to spend 1 to 5 mins/day in water management, collection of eggs and daily checking of their birds. Easy to read and manage, mortality due to poor health care and management practices, source of self-employment and additional livelihood and attack by predators was perceived as strength, weakness, opportunity, and threats respectively by the poultry farm women.

The role expectations of the Agricultural extension professionals are the determinant factors in developing competencies to perform their job successfully. A study was therefore conducted with the extension professionals working in the department of Agriculture and Horticulture, Govt. of Odisha during 2018. A questionnaire was developed and finalized after pre-testing which was mailed to 325 extension professionals working in all the 30 districts of Odisha. Only 182 had responded and returned the filled-in questionnaire. The data collected on the scale point of most essential, essential, undecided and not essential were analyzed with the score value of 4,3,2 and 1 respectively. Full support of the beneficiaries and stakeholders, computer and storage facility, documentation, prior arrangement of inputs and materials, regular monitoring and supervision, continuous guidance and expertise, training facilities as well as sufficient funds for demonstration were the pertinent role expectations of the extension professionals for their better job performance. The attributes such as education, experience, training and background of the Agricultural extension professionals had significantly influenced their job performance. The authorities of the state department of Agriculture have to provide facilities as per these expectations utilizing pertinent identified attributes enabling the Agricultural extension professionals to provide better job performance in technology transfer and adoption by the farmers for their sustainable livelihoods.