EVALUATION OF THE EFFECTS OF E-AGRICULTURE ON CEREAL CROP FARMERS’ LIVELIHOODS IN BORNO AND KEBBI STATES, NIGERIA

Abstract

The study evaluated the effects of e-agriculture information on cereal crop farmers’ livelihoods in Borno and Kebbi States, Nigeria. The specific objectives of the study were; to describe the socio-economic characteristics of the cereal crop farmers; investigate the sources of information of e- agriculture and their extent of usage; examine the livelihood status of the cereal crop farmers usage of e-agriculture; ascertain the benefits derived by the cereal crop farmers from e- agriculture usage; determine the factors that influence the usage of e-agriculture; determine the perceived effects of the usage of e-agriculture information; determine the effects of e-agriculture information usage on livelihood status of the cereal crop farmers and to examine the severity of the constraints faced by the cereal crop farmers in the use of e-agriculture information in the study area. Three-stage sampling procedure was used for the sampling, the total sample size for the study is 400. The sample size was obtained from the sample frame using the Yamane sample size determination formula at 0.07 level of error of tolerance. Structured questionnaire complemented with interview schedule was used for the collection of primary data. Tools of analysis used were simple descriptive statistics, Logit regression model, Pearson product moment correlation (PPMC), Simpson Index of Diversity (SID) and ordered Probit regression model. The results revealed that the mean age of the cereal crop farmers to be 45 years. Majority (94.00%) of the cereal crop farmers were male. More so, most (88.50%) of the cereal crop farmers were married, while the pooled result indicated the mean farm size of 4 hectares, and 49.25% of them used both hired and family labour. The pooled result also revealed 68.75% of them were into farming as primary occupation. The result on sources of e-agriculture information used by the cereal crop farmers showed majority (92.00%) of them used mobile phone, 88.50% used radio, 63.75% used television and 49.00% used other farmers/friends. The result on extent of usage of e-agriculture information sources showed mobile phone (Ms = 2.70) ranked first, radio (Ms = 2.64) ranked 2nd and other farmers/friends (Ms = 2.12) ranked 3rd as highly used by the cereal crop farmers. The pooled result on livelihood status revealed that 85.25% of the respondents had moderate livelihood status. The pooled result on the benefits derived in the use of e-agriculture indicated that the cereal crop farmers in the study areas realise increased crop yields which ranked 1st, increased income ranked 2nd, improved food security ranked 3rd. The pooled result of the marginal effects of factors influencing the use of e-agriculture revealed that the coefficient of age (0.0244) and extension contact (0.1826) had positive influence on the use of e-agriculture and significant at 5% and 1% levels of probability respectively. The result of the study also revealed that inadequate training (Ms = 2.44) and policy inconsistency (Ms = 2.36) were some of the very severe constraints faced by the cereal crop farmers. The result of null hypothesis (1) revealed age (2.26), farm size (- 3.81), extension contact (4.64), membership of cooperative (-4.38) and labour usage (-1.73) to have significant relationship with the usage of e-agriculture information at 5%, 1%, and 10% levels of probability respectively. Hence, the null hypothesis (1) of the study was rejected. Also, the result of null hypothesis (2) showed a direct and positive correlation with the extent of usage of computer website (0.1389), extension agents (0.1428), satellite (0.1542) and livelihood status (P < 0.05) levels of probability respectively, to this end, the null hypothesis (2) of the study was rejected. Farmers are encouraged to make the use of e agriculture information a priority to realise more benefits. It is therefore recommended that technologies that suit local needs of farmers should be considered, this also should take into account the influence of e-agriculture on gender and social dynamics of the farmers.