EFFECT OF MASS MEDIA ON INFORMATION DELIVERY TO FADAMA III BENEFICIARIES IN KONTAGORA LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA, NIGER STATE

¹Ibrahim, Kabir Kontagora, ²Oladosu, Ismail Oladeji and ³Bello, Faruk Umar

ABSTRACT

The study was carried out to assess the Effect of Mass Media on Information Delivery to Fadama III Beneficiaries in Kontagora Local Government Area (LGA), Niger State, Nigeria. Data for the study were obtained from 160 beneficiaries selected through multistage sampling techniques. Both descriptive and inferential statistics were employed to analyze the data obtained. The study showed that the respondents have different degrees of accessibility to radio, television, print media, GSM, and the Internet. Radio was found to be more accessible (66.5%) and the major source (80.0%) of agricultural technologies to the respondents. The Correlation analysis at 0.01and 0.05 levels of probability revealed that there is a significant relationship between the agricultural technologies and extension media methods on information delivery among the Fadama beneficiaries and hence, the use of mass media was effective in the dissemination of agricultural technologies in the study area. Lack of electricity, poor timing of the program, and high cost of electronics were found to be the major constraints to the use of mass media by the Fadama beneficiaries. The study recommended among others that, to enhance the effectiveness of mass media on information delivery of agricultural technologies for agricultural development in the study area there is a need to strengthen the use of radio and television on information dissemination to farmers, the erratic power supply should be improved significantly, the timely announcement of the agricultural programs before their commencement should be improved.