Abstract

Ajah J* and Okorie N. U

The study assessed the effect of gender and educational status on farmers’ access to extension services in North Central Nigeria (Plateau, Kogi, Benue and Nasarawa States). A sample of 640 farmers (320 males and 320 females) was collected through a simple random technique while questionnaires were used for data collection. A three-way ANOVA was used for analysis. First, pooled data result showed that, irrespective of educational status and location, there was no significant difference in gender access to extension services. However, the mean responses indicated that the male farmers relatively accessed extension services more than their female counterparts. Second, irrespective of gender and location, the result showed that farmers’ educational status did not significantly affect their access to extension services but farmers who had secondary education relatively accessed extension services more than those in other categories. Third, regardless of gender and educational status, the result indicated that there were significant locational differences in the farmers’ access to extension services. The farmers in Kogi State significantly accessed extension services more than their counterparts in other states. Fourth, in some states, the result showed that access to extension services significantly depended on both gender and the educational status of the farmers. Generally, the grand mean response (1.72) showed that farmers’ access to extension services was moderate. Finally, the paper concludes that farmers’ educational status (regardless of gender) is not a major determinant of access to extension services in the study area.