Factors Influencing Agricultural Communication Network Among Women Farmers in Bida Local Government Area of Niger State

Abstract

This study examined the factors that influence agricultural communication network with women farmers in Bida Local Government Area of Niger State. Data were collected from eighty(80) women farmers from six (6) villages in the study area using structured questionnaire data collected were analyzed using mean percentage and frequency distribution. The result showed that 32.5%of the respondent were aged between 21 and 30years, Also,85% of the respondent that they are visited by extension agent through the frequency ranges from bimonthly (5.00%), monthly (41.25%) and yearly (2.50%), group contact method was found to be the communication network normally used by extension agent as confirmed by 41.22% of the respondents. Furthermore, 80% of the respondent expressed preference for female extension agents in order to improve the effectiveness of reaching female farmers. Finally,18.11% and 29.92% of the respondents agreed that high illiteracy rate and cultural religion reasons are some of the constraints or extension in reaching women farmers. It is recommended that women should be selected as contact and more, more female extension agents should be employed and trained so as to improve the effectiveness of communication network with women farmers in the study area.