Title:
WILLINGNESS TO PAY FOR EXTENSION SERVICES DELIVERY AMONG CROP FARMERS IN KATSINA STATE, NIGERIA

Authors:
Akinyemi Mudashiru, Ekpa Daniel and Jinaidu Musa ,Nigeria

Abstract:
The study investigates willingness to pay for extension service delivery among crop farmers in Katsina State, Nigeria. Primary data from a cross section of 260 farmers through multi stage random-sampling techniques were used. The data were analysed using descriptive statistics and probit model. The results from the socio-economics of the farmers show that majority of the farmers (76.4%) fall within the productive age of 31-50years. The crop farmers were male dominated (86.4%). The result from the probit analysis shows that the Age of the farmers were negatively significant (P<0.01) on the willingness to pay. This implies that the older the farmer the lesser the likelihood to pay for extension service. Farmer’s income and proportion of commodity sold were positively significant (P<0.01). This implies that as the income of the farmers increase the more likelihood the farmer pay for the extension service. Also, as the proportion of commodity sold increase the more likelihood the farmer to pay for extension service. Land ownership is negatively significant (P<0.10), while the household size is negatively significant (P<0.05). These indicate that owning a land reduce the likelihood of payment for the extension service delivery. In addition, as the household size increases the likelihood to pay for extension service delivery decrease. The study concludes that farmers are willing to pay for extension service and also recommends that efficient machinery should be put in place on marketing of farmer’s produce. Government should encourage Young people into crop farming.