DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURAL ECONOMICS AND EXTENTION SERVICES

The study analyzed the Information Needs On Lassa Fever Safety Practices Among Garri Processors And Marketers In Esan West, Esan Central And Esan North East, In Edo State, Nigeria. Specifically, it examined the social economic characteristics of garri processors and marketers in the study area; ascertained respondents awareness of Lassa fever and Lassa fever safety practices; examined respondents access and preferred information sources on Lassa fever safety practices; examined information needs on Lassa fever safety practices; identified the constraints on access to information needs on Lassa fever safety practices. Data was was collected using random sampling method to will be used to select fifty (50) respondents from Esan West, Esan Central, Esan north East L.G.A making a total of one hundred and fifty (150) respondents. Data collected were analyzed by with Logit regression, multiple regression and pearson product moment correlation(PPMC) and Described with descriptive statistics such as frequency, percentage, mean, and standard deviation for appropriate variables. Findings from this study showed that Majority (82.7 %) were females while (17.3%) 0f the respondents were males. Majority (78 % ) of the respondents were married. The garri processors and marketers mainly had secondary education (48.7%), majority of the respondents had 5-10 years experience in garri processing and marketing. The findings also xi shows that large proportion of garri processors and marketers had household size between 7-9 persons. The major constraints such as High level of illiteracy (mean=3.38) insufficient power supply to charge phones and watch television (mean=3.58), High cost of data (mean=3.13), Non-available information material on Lassa fever (mean=3.6) were the serous constraints affecting the access and use of information on Lassa fever safety practices. The results also shows that Radio (mean=3.57), television (mean=3.62), friends and family (mean=3.28), internet (mean=2.81) and Healthcare providers (mean=2.86) were the preferred information sources for Lassa fever safety practices among garri processors and marketers.

This study focused on market linkage mechanisms among catfish farmers in Edo South Agricultural Zone, Edo State Nigeria. The specific objectives were to: describe the socio- economic characteristics of catfish farmers; identify existing markets utilized by catfish farmers; identify the mechanisms for linking farmers to the markets; ascertain the linkage strengths of the identified mechanisms; identify sources of information on market linkages among catfish farmers; examine preferred choice of market outlets among catfish farmers; establish reasons for farmers’ preference for chosen market outlets and
identify the constraints to effective market linkage among catfish farmers. A multi-stage sampling procedure was used for a simple random sampling of 20 catfish farmers from each of the four (4) selected Local Government Areas in Edo South
Agricultural Zone giving a total of 80 farmers. Data were collected through the use of structured questionnaire in line with the objectives of the study. Data were analysed using
descriptive statistics such as frequency counts, percentages and mean scores as well as inferential statistics being Pearson-Product Moment Correlation (PPMC). Results showed that more than half (53.8%) of the proportion of catfish farmers were male, most (80%) of them were married with mean age of 42 years. Direct contact (98.7%) was the most used mechanism for market linkage. Results also showed that most (96.2%) of the farmers utilized local markets, fellow farmers (86.2%) were the most used source of information and high transportation costs (mean = 4.39) was the major constraint encountered by catfish farmers for effective market linkages. It was concluded that direct contact was the most used linkage mechanism and high transportation costs was a major constraint faced by catfish farmers in linking to markets. The study therefore
recommended that Government and relevant stakeholders should invest in improving road networks and transportation systems to reduce transportation costs and ease market
linkage for catfish farmers.

The study analyzed the Information Needs On Lassa Fever Safety Practices Among Garri Processors And Marketers In Esan West, Esan Central And Esan North East, In Edo State, Nigeria. Specifically, it examined the social economic characteristics of garri processors and marketers in the study area; ascertained respondents awareness of Lassa fever and Lassa fever safety practices; examined respondents access and preferred information sources on Lassa fever safety practices; examined information needs on Lassa fever safety practices; identified the constraints on access to information needs on Lassa fever safety practices.
Data was was collected using random sampling method to will be used to select fifty (50) respondents from Esan West, Esan Central, Esan north East L.G.A making a total of one hundred and fifty (150) respondents. Data collected were analyzed by with Logit regression, multiple regression and pearson product moment correlation(PPMC) and Described with descriptive statistics such as frequency, percentage, mean, and standard deviation for appropriate variables. Findings from this study showed that Majority (82.7 %) were females while (17.3%) 0fthe respondents were males. Majority (78 % ) of the respondents were married. The garri processors and marketers mainly had secondary education (48.7%), majority of the respondents had 5-10 years experience in garri processing and marketing. The findings also shows that large proportion of garri processors and marketers had household size between 7-9 persons. The major constraints such as High level of illiteracy (mean=3.38) insufficient power supply to charge phones and watch television (mean=3.58), High cost of data (mean=3.13), Non-available information material on Lassa fever (mean=3.6) were the serous constraints affecting the access and use of information on Lassa fever safety practices. The results also shows that Radio (mean=3.57), television (mean=3.62), friends and family (mean=3.28),internet (mean=2.81) and Healthcare providers (mean=2.86) were the preferred information sources for Lassa fever safety practices among garri processors and marketers.