Analysis of information sources used by fish farmers in Ife Central

Abstract

Information sources play a vital role in improvement of fish farming, however, the different sources of information do not receive equal attention by farmers, and as a result this study was conducted in the Ife Central Local Government area in Osun state, Nigeria. Using multistage sampling technique, 80 respondents were randomly sampled from 160 fish farmers registered by the Osun State Zonal Agriculture Development Project. The findings of the study showed information sources are in use by fish farmers in the study area. The frequency of their use, information and credibility as perceived by the respondents was also recorded. However, mobile phones, radio and professional colleagues were most useful sources of information and it is recommended that farmers should endeavor to associate with farmer groups to enjoy the benefits of being a member of a farmer organization. However, the null hypothesis was rejected in the study. It is therefore recommended that extension information should be disseminated through radio, religious organizations as they are considered more reliable and timely, information communication technology infrastructures should be provided and improve the transport system so that modern agricultural information can be made available on time.