Assessment of the Training Needs of Poultry Farmers in Ovia & Oredo Local Government Areas of Edo State, Nigeria

Abstract

This study assessed the training needs of poultry farmers in Ovia and Oredo Local Government Areas of Edo State, Nigeria. Snowball technique was used in locating the 70 small scale poultry farmers from Nifor, Oko-ADP, Oluku and Isihor communitites in the two Local Government Areas. Data were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Findings indicated that poultry farmers in these communities felt they need more training mostly in the area of disease management practices like drug usage ( x̅ = 2.43 ± 0.714); vaccination ( x̅ = 2.37 ± 0.726); health management practices like debeaking ( x̅ = 2.01 ± 0.712) and other management variables like poultry house construction techniques and floor spacing. The findings of this study depict that there are insufficient training exposure of the farmers to the management activities considered in the study. Drug usage as a disease management practice recorded close zero level training exposure among the poultry farmers. For effective poultry production, farmers in these LGAs need to be exposed to good, modern training in appropriate usage of drugs before, during and after disease outbreak on their farms. There was a positive and significant association between the respondents’ farm size and their training needs (Chi ² = 12.572, p < 0.01). The panacea suggested is efficient extension services rendered by competent extension agents who are also versatile subject matter specialists (SMS), NGO and university researchers all of who should be backed by good government policy and assistance to these stakeholders.