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International institute of
tropical agriculture plantain and banana programme: An
insight into the contributions of farmer-to- farmer
extension paradigm
B. O. Faturoti1,
A. E. Agwu2*, E. M. Igbokwe2 and A.
Tenkouano1
1International
Institute of Tropical Agriculture, P. M. B. 5320, Oyo Road,
Ibadan, Nigeria.
2Department
of Agricultural Extension, University of Nigeria, Nsukka,
Eungu State, Nigeria.
*Corresponding authors. E-mail:
agwuekwe@hotmail.com.
Tel: +234-8034024251.
Accepted
26 May, 2008 |
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Dissemination of research results by the International
Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) had been a major
challenge to the Institute as inappropriate dissemination
mechanism was revealed as a major constraint to her earlier
efforts in disseminating cooking banana technologies between
1990 and 1994. A public-private technology delivery approach
(research-farmer-to-farmer extension approach), which allows
farmers to play the major role in dissemination of IITA
plantain and banana based technologies was undertaken in
three states of Nigeria. This study provides an insight into
the contributions of this paradigm shift. The results show
that farmer-to-farmer dissemination accounted for 26.6%
awareness and 35.7% source of solutions to problems
encountered in technology adoption at no direct cost to
research and extension. Average plantain and banana hybrid
adoption in the three states was 50.7%. Correlation analysis
revealed that household size, ever questioned about plantain
production problems, frequency of extension visits and trial
experience had significant relationships with adoption. The
regression analysis indicated that trial experience was the
only variable with predictive value for plantain and banana
hybrids adoption (R = 0.21). We concluded that free flow of
information among all stakeholders is the panacea for
sustained adoption and diffusion of the IITA plantain and
banana based innovations.
Key
words:
Farmer-to-farmer extension approach, adoption, diffusion,
plantain and banana hybrids, Nigeria. |
