INFLUENCE OF SOCIO-ECONOMIC VARIABLES AND EXTENSION INHIBITORS ON FOOD SOVEREIGNTY IN AKWA IBOM STATE, NIGERIA.

This study assessed the influence of socio-economic variables and extension inhibitors on food sovereignty in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. This study identified and proffered solutions to extension inhibitors to food sovereignty. A multi-stage sampling technique was used to select one hundred and twenty respondents used for the study. Data analysis comprised the use of percentages, frequency, means and Tobit regression model. The result of the socio-economic characteristics of the respondents showed that 27.50% of the respondents were from 41 and more years of age, while 25.00% were within the age range of 31 to 40 years. 8.33% of them were in the age brackets of 20 to 30 years. Majority of the farmers were very strong, agile and could adopt extension teaching methods easily. About 49.17% of the respondents were at tertiary level of education, while 23.32% had primary level of education. The result showed the mean (x") response rate of extension inhibitors on food sovereignty as follows; inadequacy of funds (x" = 4.65), use of poorly trained personnel (x" = 4.04), ineffective research extension linkage (x" =4.21), lack of evaluation (x" = 4.422), poor policy (x" = 4.04) among other factors. The hypothesis showed that gender, marital status and farm size were positive and significant at 1% level of probability. The result of the HO1, showed that any increase in farm size led to a corresponding increase in the probability and intensity of extension inhibitors on food sovereignty in the study area. Also, the coefficient of education was positively signed but not significant. This showed that education though very important but had no severe influence on the extension inhibitors. In the result, there was significant relationship between socio-economic variables and extension inhibitors on food sovereignty in the study area. The study concluded that some of the inhibitors of extension on food sovereignty are; inadequate funding, lack of extension service evaluation on food sovereignty situations, ineffective research extension linkage and use of poorly trained personnel. The study also concluded that majority of the farmers are of age and well educated to positively influence extension inhibitors with the view to improving food sovereignty situations in the study area. It was recommended that women being the majority in the study area should be involved in extension activities and evaluation, with a view to improving on food sovereignty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]