Farmers' Perception of the Contributions of Radio to the Prevention of Post Harvest Losses of Agricultural Produce in Benue State, Nigeria

Abstract

This study investigated farmers' perception of the specific contributions of radio to the prevention of post-harvest losses of agricultural produce in Benue State, Nigeria. The research design adopted in the study was the survey with the questionnaire as the research instrument for data collection. Findings revealed that radio provides information on post-harvest losses prevention of agricultural produce influence farmers. This enables farmers to allow their agricultural produce to reach maturity stage before harvesting, properly handle their agricultural produce during harvesting to avoid losses, use appropriate and improved storage facilities, dry their agricultural produce harvested from the farm properly before storage, apply insecticides on agricultural produce before storage, engage in proper packaging of agricultural produce before evacuating them from farm to avoid losses, properly package their agricultural produce before transporting them to the market to avoid losses, and engage in the use of standardized and appropriate methods of processing their agricultural produce to avoid losses, but as well as the use of improved storage facilities. Owing to this great influence radio has on farmers as far prevention of post-harvest loses of agriculture produce is concerned, the study concluded that radio has, to a large extent contributed to the prevention of post-harvest losses of agricultural produce in Benue state. The study recommended that farmers in Benue State should continue to source information from the radio on the prevention of post-harvest losses of agricultural produce in so as to keep them adequately updated on current innovations and practices of preventing post-harvest losses in the state. It was also recommended that radio stations across Benue State should increase their contributions to the prevention of post-harvest losses of agricultural produce so that farmers are adequately exposed to all the relevant methods and techniques necessary for more effective prevention of losses experienced during post-harvest period. By doing so, farmers can adequately enjoy the value of their produce from the farm for more enhanced agricultural development in the state.