Barriers to Accessing Farmers’ Helpline Services among Smallholder Farmers in Oyo State, Nigeria

2026-09-11T04:21:11+00:00

Digital extension services such as farmers’ helpline centres are key to improving
access to agricultural information and complement the efforts of traditional
extension systems. This study examined barriers to accessing farmers’ helpline
services among smallholder farmers in Oyo State, Nigeria. Adopting a multi-stage
sampling procedure, a total of 148 smallholder farmers were sampled. Data were
collected from smallholder farmers using questionnaires. Descriptive analyses
showed that respondents were mostly male (75.6%), middle-aged (x̄=51.80±9.11
years), and quite experienced in farming (x̄=12.58±4.03 years). Awareness of
helpline services was generally high, especially relating to accessibility
irrespective of location (86.7%) and free cost of services (84.4%), however
contact via information channels was limited, with prominent channels being
farmers’ associations (x̄=0.90±0.60) and fellow farmers (x̄=0.71±0.59). Majority
(62.2%) of farmers exhibited a favourable attitude towards helpline services,
while key barriers to access were inconsistency in the operation of the helpline
centre (x̄=1.93±0.25), poor knowledge about the services of the centre
(x̄=1.86±0.45), and insufficient sensitisation of helpline services (x̄=1.84±0.47).
Despite the high awareness and favourable attitude of the respondents towards
helpline services, institutional and knowledge-related barriers largely hindered
respondents’ access to helpline services. Therefore, consistency in service
delivery and intensified sensitisation via trusted information channels should be
ensured to enhance smallholder farmers’ effective access to helpline services.

Willingness to Pay for Training on Digital Tools among Professionals in Agricultural Institutes in Kwara State, Nigeria

2026-10-26T00:34:32+00:00

This study assessed the willingness to pay for training on digital tools among
professionals in agricultural institutes in Kwara State, Nigeria. Data were collected
using a structured questionnaire from 125 professionals who were randomly
selected across the chosen organisations based on probability proportion to their
faculty staff strength. Data were analysed with descriptive statistics and binomial
logistic regression. Results showed that the professionals were aware of, and
considered digital tools such as Google meet, Google form, Microsoft teams,
Google classroom, Kobo tool box, Google slides, Canva and STATA as important
to their jobs. The factors influencing willingness to pay for training on digital tools
were age (ß =-0.1212, p˂5), gender (ß =0.8293, p˂10), educational level (ß
=0.2072, p˂5) and membership of professional association (ß =1.4171, p˂10). The
constraints to the use of digital tools in order of severity were inadequate training
opportunities, high cost of technologies, poor network connectivity, inadequate
funds and poor technical know-how. The study concludes that professionals in
agricultural institutes in Kwara State were aware of digital tools and they also
considered them as important to their jobs. Age, gender, educational level, and
membership of professional association significantly influenced the willingness to
pay for training on digital tools. The study therefore recommends that
professionals should leverage on their professional associations for more training
on digital tools. Also, their organizations should provide more training on digitals
tools to their staff while giving special consideration to the female professionals.

Moor Journal of Agricultural Research

Barriers to Accessing Farmers’ Helpline Services among Smallholder Farmers in Oyo State, Nigeria

Willingness to Pay for Training on Digital Tools among Professionals in Agricultural Institutes in Kwara State, Nigeria