Impact Of Policy Innovations On Agricultural Extension Programs In Nigeria

The research examines the impact of policy innovation as a step towards actualizing the core objective of an improved agricultural extension programs for the development of agricultural production in Nigeria through the integration of the triple helix model of analysis with collaboration between government,industry and university which are fundamental in the model.The hypotheses were supported using data from 200 randomly selected respondents from the policymakers in government establishments,researchers from the academia(university and college of education),rural farmers and agricultural extension workers.The demographic data of the respondents were analyzed using SPSS software,while the research therefore measures the impact of agricultural policy,availability of information to farmers and collaboration between government,university and agricultural extension workers in Nigeria.The study used quantitative technique for interpreting primary source of data;the collection of data was presented using descriptive and inferential analyses approach.Ordinal logistic models were estimated to test the hypotheses.Findings from the survey reveal that the failure of Nigeria's agricultural sector for the improvement of food production is a function of the poor policy framework of government and its agent to work out policies that will serve the general good of all the actors in the industry.It was also discovered that the collaboration between government(policy makers),industry(rural farmers and agricultural extension workers)and university as contained in the triple helix model of analysis would properly position policy circles in the Nigerian agricultural sector especially when considered within the context of policy innovations.The research makes broad recommendations that address the place of government as the primary mover of the industry through its policy formulation role,and the role of the university in research was critically underscored.A functional agricultural extension worker and rural farmer place were considered to be a valuable tool for both government and other actors in the sector towards initiating policy process that will improve agricultural production in Nigeria.