EFFECT OF INFORMATION SYSTEM ON RISKS ATTITUDE OF RURAL FARMERS IN GORONYO IRRIGATION SCHEME, GORONYO LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA, SOKOTO STATE, NIGERIA.

The study examined the relationship between information systems and attitude of the farmers towards risk in Goronyo Local Government, Sokoto State, Nigeria. A three-stage sampling procedure was used to select one hundred and twenty (120) farmers from three sectors in the irrigation scheme. The data collected were analyzed using descriptive statistics, attitudinal scale approach and multinomial logistic regression. The result of socioeconomic characteristics revealed that the farmers were predominantly male and married with mean age, farm-size and farming experience of 37 years, 0.78ha and 13 years respectively.. Radio was reported to be the major source of agricultural information reported by the farmers. The analysis on Attitudinal Scale Approach (ASA) revealed a slight variation in the classification between the risk averse and risk taking group with only a few in the neutral category. The multinomial analysis confirmed that there exists significant relationship between risk attitude of farmers and information systems, age, years of schooling, and household size. The study further revealed that damage by pests and diseases, high costs of farm inputs, inadequate storage facilities, as well as poor remunerative prices of farm produce are some of the major sources of risk faced by farmers in the study area. It was therefore recommended that extension education be intensified in order to bring to the notice of the farmers on the different means available to getting prompt information as regards their production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]