ABSTRACT

Various strategies are being adopted to raise agricultural growth and increase food security as well as to empower farmers in agricultural activities. This study was on Farm Situation and Needs Analysis of three communities in Abia state Nigeria. selected by \1O[ALT. Data were collected from the selected communities located in two Local Government Areas of Ahia State (Urnuahia South and lkwuano Local Government Areas). Li ft\ 1irmers were randomly selected from the three communities which gave a total of one hundred and Etv farmers used for the study. Questionnaire, interview schedule and Focused Group Discussion (I-GD) were employed in data collection. Data were analyzed with descriptive statistics. using Frequency. Percentages, Means, Adoption Model and multiple regressions. Results revealed that cassava was the most important food crop. bricklaying was ranked first as off litrm activity for Umudike men while trading was first in Umuariaga. Trading came first for \\ omenand Okada riding was first for youths in Umudike and Umuariaga communities. The study further revealed that 70%, 20% and I O% of the respondents in Amakama crc poor. average and rich respectively. While it was 90%, 8% and 2% in Umuariaga that of Lmudike was o%. 25% and 10% respectively. The commonest sickness in the study area was malaria (87.3%). Results also revealed that 36% of the farmers had primary school education and 79.3% were married while 61.7% were females. From the results 79.39 'o of the farmers reported that Grm materials were not adequately available in those areas .Also 82° o of the farmers said. their roads were not in good shape. Furthermore. 65.3% said, there was no efficient market in that area .More so, it was reported that capital was a problem. Results revealed that though there were cooperative societies in Amakama and Umuariaga but Umudike did not have. Based on the finding, it was recommended that creation of awareness should be improved on the areas of yam and cocoa technologies for adoption. More importantly, the ongoing intervention of the University in the fight against malaria in these communities should be consolidated and enhanced for wider coverage. Farmers should he encouraged to form or loin cooperative societies, government to devote more funds to input subsidy. tichael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike (MOUAU) in collaboration with the host communities should extend the development efforts to farmers in the neighboring communities.