Effect of Communication Channels on the Use of Tree Crops Development Units’ Services among Cocoa Farmers in Oyo State, Nigeria

Abstract

Use of cocoa rehabilitation innovations can only be ensured if information about it is effectively communicated to cocoa farmers. This study therefore was to determine the effect of communication channels on the use of Tree Crops Development Units’ (TCDU) services among cocoa farmers in Oyo State. The population of the study included all cocoa farmers who registered with the TCDU in Oyo State. Proportionate and simple random samplings were used to select Local Government Areas and 144 respondents for the study. Data was summarized using descriptive statistics and analysed using inferential statistics. Result of analysis indicated that farmers source most of TCDU’s information from farmers’ group and radio. Many of the farmers were not well informed about TCDU because they did not expose themselves to available communication channels. Majority of the cocoa farmers had a favourable perception of the communication channels employed by the Unit and often use TCDU services. Many of the farmers already had another means of sourcing inputs. Discontinued use of the Unit’s services was due to the Unit’s inadequacy, untimely reports and lack of dynamism. The higher the use of communication channels the lower the use of TCDU services. Likewise, the higher the farmers’ perception of the communication channels, the lower the use of the services. It is recommended that agricultural programmes should be dynamic enough to keep farmers’ interest. Also, enabling social, economic, and infrastructural environment should be created to facilitate the use of innovations.