FACTORS DETERMINING FARMERS ’ WILLINGNESS TO PAY FOR EXTENSION

This paper examined the factors determining farmers ’ willingness to pay for extension services in Oyo state, Nige-ria. Specifically the services farmers are willing to pay for were identified and how much farmers are willing to pay for such services were determined. A multi-stage technique was used in selecting 200 farmers from which primary data were collected between December 2007 and February 2008 using interview schedule based on a structured questionnaire that was earlier subjected to face validity and reliability test using split-half technique with a coeffi-cient of 0.85. The data were analyzed using frequency counts, percentages and Probit regression model. The results showed that 30 percent of the respondents are willing to pay for extension services and these services include pro-viding information to women farmers (34 percent), identifying rural problems (38 percent), training VEA (33 percent), supervising women activities(43 percent), arrange input supply(36 percent), processing loans (32 percent), organizing group meetings(38 percent), giving advice on agric problems(33 percent), teaching home management children and nutrition (29 percent), cost of organizing farmers ’ seminars, group discussions (26 per-cent),and liaison with farm machinery(34 percent). The mean values of amount to be paid for each of the services shows a minimum of N1 800 for food and drinks for extension agents at every visit to N11, 400 for organizing group meetings. The Probit regression model showed that farmers age (t = 2.75), gender (t = –2.36), Educational leve