The effectiveness of the National Agricultural Extension and Research Liaison Services (NAERLS) Adopted Village Project on Beneficiaries’ Income in Abia State, Nigeria

Abstract

he study assessed the effectiveness of the NAERLS Adopted Village Project on beneficiaries’ farm income in the study area. Purposive and simple random technique was used to select a sample size of 70 respondents. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire, and was analyzed using descriptive and Z-test statistics. The result shows that all the beneficiary farmers attested to have received interventions such as fertilizers, training on soap making, recommended spacing and planting methods as well as linkages with produce market as these, ranked foremost respectively. The study also revealed that the average incomes per hectare generated by beneficiaries are statistically significant. The result from Z test reveals that the mean annual income of the beneficiaries of the Project was significantly higher (₦383,031.25) than the mean annual income of the non-beneficiaries (₦ 312,671.05) (Z=2.281; P<0.05), this implies that the NAERLS Adopted Village Project had a significant impact on the farm income of beneficiaries of the project. The major constraint to participating in the project was inadequate access to land. The study recommends the review of land use act of 1990 to curb the barrier. The NAERLS should intensify efforts in the pilot villages and scale out its adopted village projects to other parts of the State. ><0.05), this implies that the NAERLS Adopted Village Project had a significant impact on the farm income of beneficiaries of the project. The major constraint to participating in the project was inadequate access to land. The study recommends the review of land use act of 1990 to curb the barrier. The NAERLS should intensify efforts in the pilot villages and scale out its adopted village projects to other parts of the State.