INFORMATION NEEDS AND AGRICULTURAL INFORMATION SERVICES FOR RURAL RICE FARMERS IN PUBLIC LIBRARIES AND AGRICULTURAL CENTERS IN ANAMBRA STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

This study investigated the information needs and agricultural information services for rural rice farmers in public libraries and agricultural centres in Anambra State, Nigeria. The purpose of the study is to ascertain the information needs of rural rice farmers and the availability of agricultural information services in meeting the information needs of rural rice farmers. Two research questions guided the study. Survey research design was adopted for the study. The population of the study was 860 registered rural rice farmers in five local government areas that cultivate rice in Anambra State. The study used multistage sampling procedure to select local government, simple random sampling technique and Taro Yamane’s sampling formula to determine sample size of 273 rural rice farmers from three selected local government areas in Anambra State. The instrument for data collection were structured questionnaire and checklist titled information needs of rural rice farmers questionnaire (INRRFQ) and availability of agricultural information services checklist (AAIRSC). The instruments were validated by three experts. The instrument was pilot tested on a group of 20 rural rice farmers in Enugu State. Cronbach Alpha was used to determine the internal consistency of the questionnaire items in section A and Kuder Richardson 21 for checklist items. Data collected were analysed using Arithmetic mean, standard deviation and percentages. The findings of the study showed among others that rural rice farmers have a wide variety of information needs in which the resources available to them significantly depend on the type of need, which when met will help them better their rice production. All the relevant agricultural information services needed are available in the public libraries and agricultural centres in Anambra State.