Abstract

Agricultural extension programs have been implemented in Nigeria by governmental and non-governmental agencies from the colonial era to the present day as a means toward bolstering economic development, rural livelihoods, food security, and trade relations. Nevertheless, funding and staffing levels in agricultural extension remain low compared to Nigeria’s farming population. With a brief review of past initiatives, current challenges, and potential opportunities, this article gives recommendations in three focus areas for maximizing the effectiveness of Nigerian agricultural extension: (1) prioritize human education over input provisioning in the definition of agricultural extension’s primary purpose; (2) aim for household food security, not solely business expansion, to ensure the inclusion of the most vulnerable farmers; and (3) foster multidirectional communication among academic researchers, extension agents, and farmers. Overall, this article argues that taking a farmer-centric educational approach to agricultural extension, rather than a farm-centric business approach, will have the most profound and sustained impact on Nigerian agricultural development.

Keywords: Nigeria, agricultural extension, rural development, fertilizer subsidies, farmer education, household food security, agribusiness, research-farmer linkage

How to Cite:

Camillone, N., Duiker, S., Bruns, M. A., Onyibe, J. & Omotayo, A., (2020) “Context, Challenges, and Prospects for Agricultural Extension in Nigeria”, Journal of International Agricultural and Extension Education 27(4), 144-156. doi: https://doi.org/10.5191//jiaee.2020.274144

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