ANALYSIS OF EXTENSION SERVICE NEEDS OF WOMEN CASSAVA FARMERS IN AKINYELE LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF OYO STATE, NIGERIA

This paper identifies extension service needs of women cassava farmers and discusses the relevance of such needs to Agricultural development. The study was conducted in Akinyele Local Government Area of Oyo State. Structured interview schedule was used to collect information from one hundred and twenty (120) women cassava farmers. Analysis of the data collected revealed that 59.6% of the respondents were between the ages categories of 31-45 years old while 21. 0% was above 46 years old, majority of (64.5 %) had low level of education and 70.7% had many years of farming experience and 95.8% source for information from family/relation/friends. Their levels of knowledge of improved cassava varieties, fertilizer and pesticides were high and extension service were require on source of farm chemical (M = 3.62) Method of fertilizer application (M=3.43) marketing strategies of cassava tuber and its product (M=3.32). There should be deliberate attempts that would be directed at improving women farmers through the encouragement of agricultural extension agents to train women farmers on the improve crop production practices.