ASSESSMENT OF INFORMATION NEEDS OF RURAL FARMERS IN HONG LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA, ADAMAWA STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

The study was an assessment of information needs of rural farmers in Hong Local Government Area of Adamawa State, Nigeria. The study assessed rural farmers' information needs and how they seek information to carry out their farming activities. The objectives of the study were to assess information needs, and awareness of information by rural farmers in Hong Local Government Area of Adamawa State, Nigeria. The study was guided by two (2) research questions. A survey research design was used for the study with 130 Populations. The instrument was subjected to a reliability test. The result was r=0.84, this revealed that the instrument was reliable for data collection, since the r=value index is greater than 0.5. Data collected were analyzed using descriptive statistics of frequency counts, percentages presented in tables and histogram. The findings of the study revealed that information needs of rural farmers was in a maximum level, but their awareness of information was less to their expectation. Based on the findings, it was recommended that government and NGOs should make available information to the rural farmers on how to plant seeds, apply manure/fertilizers, control weeds, store farm produce, and know the availability/application of pesticide and marketing. The government and NGOs should also encourage, advice and educate rural farmers to seek information from books, radio, television, community libraries, information centre, extension officers on agricultural activities, more so, government should extend community libraries to rural areas under study so that farmers should have access to information resources both print and non-print that content information of agricultural activities and new farming implements and also information providers should always be involved in creating awareness of available information resources on farming activities to promote spirit of learning which can enable rural farmers to seek for such information to meet their farming needs.