Leadership Effectiveness of Zonal Extension Officers by Extension Agents in Kwara State Agricultural Development Programme, Nigeria
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Date
2022-12-31
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Publisher
National Cereals Research Institute, Nigeria.
Abstract
In the structure of the Kwara Agricultural Development Programme, the position of Zonal Extension Officers (ZEO)
is vital and central to the execution of the extension programmes which are implemented through the frontline
Extension Agents. The study examined the leadership effectiveness of the Zonal Extension Officers (ZEOs) in Kwara
State Agricultural Development Programme, factors that hindered the leadership effectiveness of ZEOs and the
demographic characteristics of ZEOs and Extension Agents (EAs) in Kwara State Agricultural Development
Programme. One hundred and thirty (130) EAs and four (4) ZEOs were purposively selected for the study. Primary
data were collected with a structured questionnaire and analysed with descriptive statistics while the hypotheses
were tested with Pearson Product Moment Correlation and Chi-Square Statistics. Results of the study revealed that
94.6% of the EAs and all four ZEOs acquired tertiary education. The EAs and the ZEOs had an average of 8.01 and
5 years of field experience respectively. Furthermore, 59.2%, 58.5% and 50% of ZEOs were effective only in
clarifying the organization’s goals, ineffective in staff motivation and communication respectively. There was a
significant relationship between level of education (χ2 = 47.53, p=<0.05), years of experience (r=0.27, p=<0.05) of
EAs and perceived leadership effectiveness of ZEOs. Based on the empirical evidence, the ZEOs need to improve
their job performances. Extension personnel should acquire tertiary education with cognate field experience before
they could function as ZEOs for optimum effectiveness
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Citation
Abdulrahman, O. L., Ayanda, I. F., Nofiu, N. B.1, Udoma, E. E. and Bello, O. G. (2022): Leadership effectiveness of Zonal extension Officers by Extension agents in Kwara State Agricultural Development Programme. Badeggi Journal of Agricultural Research and Environment. Vol.4, No 3, Pp 1-8. A peer reviewed publication of National Cereals Research Institute, Nigeria.