ANALYSIS OF SOME SOCIO-ECONOMIC FACTORS INFLUENCING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF AGRICULTURAL BROADCASTING IN KADUNA STATE

ANALYSIS OF SOME SOCIO-ECONOMIC FACTORS INFLUENCING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF AGRICULTURAL BROADCASTING IN KADUNA STATE

Abstract:

During the 1990’s, several social and economic policies were introduced in Nigeria, and they affected the pattern of public and domestic lives of citizens, including peasant farmers. In view of this, an attempt has been made to investigate and generate ample data about some social and economic characteristics, as well as specific and general farmers’ attitudes towards agricultural broadcasting; to establish whether or not, there is a relationship between the farmers’ characteristics and their level of response (interest) in agricultural broadcasting; and to proffer up-to-date recommendations on policy guidelines, which would enhance the conduct of agricultural broadcasting in Makarfi and Sabon Gari Local Government Areas of Kaduna State. This was instituted by means of an empiritcal research process. The respondents numbering 100, were randomly drawn from 16 randomly selected rural villages and semi-urban settlements in the two study areas. Data were gathered through primary and secondary sources. Questionnaire administration was used to obtain the primary data while personal observation, media content reviews and library research were relied on as the secondary sources of information. First, attempt was made to find out the broadcast media channels prevalent in the study areas and the motivating factors of the farmers toward their patronage. Secondly, the social and economic variables: age, sex, home location, farm size, farm income, non-farm income, family size, formal education, informal education and years of tuning (radio/television) experience were examined. Accordingly, the statistical relationship between the socio-economic variables and effectiveness of the identified broadcast channels, influencing the farmers’ perception about three key extension messages, have been established. The Pearson’s Correlation Coefficient, and the Chi-Squared Test methods were used in the analyses of the data. It was found that a great deal of farmers’ leisure times were spent while listening to agricultural broadcasting becuase of their desire to learn through the programmes. Also, such factors as farm size, age, formal education, use of local language in programming, clear radio signals and conformity of programmes to existing norms and values contributed positively to the farmers’ level of patronage for the agricultural programme. Consequetly, nine fresh agricultural broadcast policy guidelines (recommendations) were made. Chief among these were increase in the total number of agricultural programmes for radio and television audience; need for involvement of farmers in planning and production of agricultural programmes; and for the restriction of commercialisation to private media only, while public media be better funded to serve as tools for development support communication.

ANALYSIS OF SOME SOCIO-ECONOMIC FACTORS INFLUENCING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF AGRICULTURAL BROADCASTING IN KADUNA STATE

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