article · Journal of International Agricultural and Extension Education
A study of 120 registered snail farmers in Oyo State assessed how they search for and use agricultural information to enhance animal production and nutritional security. Most respondents were literate, which enhanced their capacity to acquire and apply farming knowledge. Despite a high general willingness to seek and adopt new practices to improve productivity, farmers experienced notable constraints, especially a shortage of credit facilities and insufficient guidance from agricultural extension agents. Statistical analysis revealed significant relationships linking information sources and operational constraints directly to information-seeking habits and practical utilisation. Strengthening agricultural extension services could support technology transfer, enabling snail farmers to raise farm productivity, boost incomes, and improve rural living standards.
Understanding how smallholders access and implement agricultural knowledge is vital for strengthening food security and rural livelihoods. Because snail producers actively seek practical improvements but struggle with limited extension guidance and financing, targeted interventions by agricultural extension services can resolve critical knowledge bottlenecks, accelerate technology uptake, and enhance household incomes.
This applied research points to service delivery and financing opportunities for agricultural development programmes, rural lenders, and extension providers. Delivering structured technical knowledge and credit products could support commercial snail production. However, the work provides observational survey evidence on user behaviour rather than a near-market product, showing readiness among farmers to adopt relevant technologies if delivery channels improve.
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The authors of this study examined the information-seeking behavior and utilization among snail farmers in Oyo State with the view of improving animal production to achieve food and nutritional security.Simple random sampling was used to select one hundred and twenty respondents out ofthree hundred and sixty-five registered members in Oyo state. Interview schedule was administered to elicit information relating to socio-economic characteristics, information-seeking behaviour and utilization among snail farmers and the constraints faced by the snail farmers. Data were analyzed using frequency counts, mean, percentages, and correlation. Most of the respondents were literates. This factor increased their capacities for seeking and utilizing agricultural information. Lack of credit facilities and inadequate information from extension agents were the major constraints identified by the farmers. There was a significant relationship between the sources of information and information-seeking behavior of these farmers as well as the utilization of such information (r = -0.261; pv = >0.05). Significant relationship also existed between constraints faced by the farmers and information-seeking behavior and utilization by these farmers (r = -0.23, pv = 0.01). Most of the respondents had high information-seeking behavior and utilization, which impliesthat farmers are willing to seek information that will improve their productivity.Efforts should therefore be made to promote the information utilization of farmers through the extension services of agricultural development projects in order to facilitate the transfer of technology. This will enhance the productivity and income of snail farmers and subsequently improve their standard of living.
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DOI: 10.5191/jiaee.2012.19304
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