Influence of Selected Extension Support Services on Sesame Production among Smallholder Farmers in Bal’ad District, Somalia

Abstract

Agriculture is an important sector in the economies of most developing countries. Most people’s livelihoods in sub-Saharan Africa are hinged on agriculture. The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of selected extension support services (input, credit and market information) on sesame production among smallholder farmers in Bal’ad district, Middle Shabelle, Somalia. The study used quantitative and qualitative methods to collect data from farm households. The target population was 3098 smallholder sesame farmers in Bal’ad district. Purposive sampling and simple random sampling were used to select a sample of the respondents. With the known population size, the sample size of the study was estimated to be 148 farmers. A researcher administered an interview guide, and a questionnaire consisting of closed-ended and open-ended items was used to collect data from the respondents. The instrument was validated by researchers and experts in agricultural education and extension from the Department of Agricultural Education and Extension at Egerton University. Cronbach’s alpha coefficient was used to test the reliability of the instrument, and 30 respondents from neighboring district were used for pilot testing. The reliability coefficient was estimated using the Cronbach's alpha coefficient to be 0.8051. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used for analyzing the quantitative data and thematic analysis for the qualitative data. The findings might lead to a better understanding of extension service offerings to improve sesame production in Bal’ad district. The reliability coefficient was estimated using the Cronbach's alpha scale to be 0.7885. Using T-test to check the influence of input on sesame yield gave a P-value for a t-value of -12.89, which is very close to 0. P-value is approximately 0 (or very close to it), indicating a highly significant difference between the different yields. T-test to find access to farm inputs gave a 0.74 p-value, revealing that the difference in proportions is statistically significant, meaning there is a significant difference in the proportions of access to farm inputs between the two groups. One group easily accesses farm inputs, while the other is not advantaged. T-test is used to check how access to credit influences sesame production. Results gave a P-value of 0.90. P-value was above the reliable level, equal to or greater than 0.70. There was a highly significant difference between those who interacted with banks to get credit and those who did not. Information on most farmers accessing credit was reliable