Social Activities And Socio-Economic Status Of Rural Farmers Cultivating Improved Maize In Kaduna State, Nigeria

This study was conducted to investigate and establish relationship between some variables (social activities and socio-economic status) of farmers who cultivated improved maize in rural areas of Kaduna State, Nigeria. A total of 125 respondents who constituted growers of maize were purposively and randomly sampled. Based on their responses, data analysis was carried out using descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation and Linear regression analyses. The three objectives of the study were to; (1) examine the social activities of rural farmers cultivating improved maize (2) examine the relationship between the socio-economic status of rural farmers cultivating improved maize, and (3) examine the effect of social status of rural farmers cultivating improved maize on adoption of farm practices. It was found that the respondents\' scores on social participation were in the following order of ranking; Farmers\' cooperative group, agricultural shows, farmers\' general meetings, Field days, farmers\' club, Farmers Council meetings and agricultural festivals. Results further indicate that among the socio-economic status of the respondents the following were positively and significantly correlated; farm size and age of farmer, social participation and level of education, social participation and contact with extension agent (at P=0.01) while contact with extension and age of farmer and social participation and access to radio (at P=0.05). And, results of stepwise regression showed that age, level of education and farm size of farmers were significantly related to adoption (at P=0.05). Keywords: Improved maize, socio-economic status, rural farmers, social participationGlobal Approaches to Extension Practice Vol. 2 (1) 2006: pp. 29-3