EFFECTS OF E-EXTENSION TOOLS ADOPTION ON PRODUCTIVITY OF MAIZE FARMERS IN MAIGANA AGRICULTURAL ZONE OF KADUNA STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

The study examined the effects of adoption of e-extension tools on productivity of maize farmers in Maigana agricultural zone of Kaduna State, Nigeria. A multi-stage sampling technique was used to select 305 respondents, with data primarily collected through a structured questionnaire. Both descriptive and inferential statistical methods were applied to achieve the study’s objectives. The findings showed that farmers who adopted E-extension tools were relatively young, with an average age of 36.8 years. Majority (73.95%) of the respondents had been members of cooperative societies for 6 to 10 years. The study also revealed a high adoption rate of E-extension tools (70.5%). In terms of impact, the results indicated a significant increase in farmers' productivity, as  yield (54.142), income (21.819), and living standards (19.377) showed statistically significant improvements at a 1% probability level after adopting E-extension tools. However, the major challenges identified were the high cost of internet data(75.7%), poor network coverage in rural areas(83.3),  inadequate or unreliable information(60.3%).