Agricultural Science · Lesson 13

Agricultural extension, crop and animal genetics, research and biotechnology

JAMBWAECNECO

What the syllabus asks

JAMB: D7 agricultural extension, A4 role of science and technology (genetics, biotechnology), B16 crop improvement, E agricultural technology (biotechnology, ICT, research)

WAEC: I12 Agricultural extension (meaning, importance, methods, problems, ADPs); D4 crop improvement (aims, methods, plant breeding, Mendelian genetics); H animal improvement links; agricultural research and institutes; biotechnology and ICT in agriculture

NECO: I12 Agricultural extension (meaning, importance, methods, problems, ADPs); D4 crop improvement (aims, methods, plant breeding, Mendelian genetics); H animal improvement links; agricultural research and institutes; biotechnology and ICT in agriculture

What you will learn

Define agricultural extension and state its importance and objectives.
Describe extension teaching methods and the adoption process.
Explain the roles of ADPs, research institutes and NGOs in extension.
State problems of extension in Nigeria and solutions.
State the aims and methods of crop improvement.
Solve monohybrid and dihybrid problems and explain the test cross.
Describe applications of biotechnology and ICT in agriculture.

Key points

Extension: out-of-school education linking research and farmers both ways.
Methods: individual (visits), group (demonstrations, field days, FFS), mass (radio, TV, SMS).
Method demonstration teaches how; result demonstration shows outcomes.
Adoption: awareness, interest, evaluation, trial, adoption; innovators to laggards.
ADPs (World Bank-assisted, from the 1970s) used the Training and Visit system; NAERLS is at Zaria.
Extension problems: few agents, poor funding, illiteracy, weak linkages, insecurity.
Institutes: CRIN Ibadan, NIFOR Benin, NRCRI Umudike, NCRI Badeggi, IAR Zaria, NVRI Vom, NAPRI Shika, FRIN Ibadan, IITA Ibadan.
Crop improvement aims: yield, quality, resistance, tolerance, earliness.
Methods: introduction, selection, hybridisation, backcrossing, mutation, polyploidy, biotechnology.
Monohybrid F2: 3 : 1 (1 : 2 : 1 genotypes); dihybrid F2: 9 : 3 : 3 : 1; test cross Tt × tt = 1 : 1.
Nigeria approved Bt cotton (2018), PBR cowpea (2019) and TELA maize (2024); NBMA regulates GMOs.
ICT: SMS advice, market prices, e-wallets, GIS, drones, sensors.

Start here: Meaning, objectives and importance of agricultural extension

Agricultural extension is an out-of-school educational service for farmers and rural people. It helps them to identify and solve their problems, adopt improved technologies and practices, and raise their productivity, incomes and standard of living. It links research institutions with farmers in both directions.

Objectives of extension

Disseminate research findings and improved technologies to farmers.
Increase farm production and income.
Teach farmers better farm management, record keeping and marketing.
Carry farmers’ problems back to researchers.
Help farmers form groups and cooperatives and access credit and inputs.
Improve rural living (home economics, nutrition, health).
Develop rural leadership and youth (e.g. Young Farmers’ Clubs).

Importance

Bridges the gap between research and practice.
Raises food security and reduces poverty.
Promotes conservation and sustainable practices.
Speeds up adoption of innovations such as improved seed, fertiliser use and pest control.
Helps government implement agricultural policies.

Qualities of a good extension agent

Technically competent, good communicator, patient, honest, respectful of rural culture, speaks the local language, lives in or near the community, punctual, and able to organise groups.

Worked example 13.1

Explain why extension is described as a “two-way” process.

Extension carries research results and innovations from research institutes to farmers, and it also carries farmers’ problems, feedback and indigenous knowledge back to researchers so that research addresses real needs. Without feedback, research may produce technologies that farmers cannot use.

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Practice questions

1. Agricultural extension is mainly

informal education of farmers to improve their practices
the taxation of farmers
formal school education
sale of inputs

Show answer

A: informal education of farmers to improve their practices
Extension links research and farmers.

2. The extension method that reaches the most farmers quickly is

farm visits
office calls
method demonstrations
radio

Show answer

D: radio
Mass media reach large audiences.

3. A demonstration that teaches farmers how to do a task step by step is a

farm visit
field day only
method demonstration
result demonstration

Show answer

C: method demonstration
A result demonstration shows outcomes.

4. The correct order of stages in adoption is

adoption, trial, evaluation, interest, awareness
awareness, interest, evaluation, trial, adoption
trial, awareness, adoption, interest, evaluation
interest, awareness, trial, evaluation, adoption

Show answer

B: awareness, interest, evaluation, trial, adoption
This is the classic adoption process.

5. In Rogers’ model, the first 2.5% of people to adopt an innovation are the

innovators
early adopters
early majority
laggards

Show answer

A: innovators
Laggards are the last 16%.

Key words

Agricultural extension: An informal educational service that brings new knowledge and practices to farmers and carries farmers’ problems to researchers.
Extension agent: A trained person who carries out extension work with farmers.
Innovation: A new idea, practice or product perceived as new by farmers.
Adoption: The decision to make full use of an innovation.
Result demonstration: A demonstration that shows the results of a practice by comparison, e.g. fertilised vs unfertilised plots.
Method demonstration: A demonstration showing step by step how to carry out a practice.
Contact farmer: A farmer selected to receive regular visits and pass messages to others (T&V system).
Gene: A unit of heredity on a chromosome that controls a trait.
Allele: An alternative form of a gene, e.g. T (tall) or t (dwarf).
Genotype: The genetic make-up of an organism, e.g. Tt.
Phenotype: The observable characteristics of an organism, e.g. tall.
Homozygous: Having two identical alleles, e.g. TT or tt.

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