A STUDY ON THE INFORMATION CHANNEL AND THE ADOPTION OF TRADITIONAL MEDICINE AMONG AGRICULTURAL PRACTITIONERS

ABSTRACT: This study investigated the information channels utilised and the utilisation of traditional medicine among farmers in the Edo and Delta States of Nigeria. This study investigated the accessibility of information for farmers, the various ailments that impact agricultural production, the severity of these ailments on production, the reasons why respondents utilise traditional medicine, the perceived effectiveness of traditional medicine in treating these ailments, the challenges faced by farmers in production, and the obstacles encountered in accessing and utilising traditional medicine in the study areas. The study employed a simple random sampling technique to pick respondents from three villages in Edo State, resulting in a sample size of 120 respondents. Additionally, respondents were selected from five communities in Delta State, yielding a sample size of 100 respondents. Data was collected using a well-structured questionnaire. The study examined several demographic characteristics, including sex, age, marital status, religion, education, and farm size. The variables under consideration in this study encompass farming experience, household size, labour force participation, membership in a cooperative or association, leadership experience, and the frequency of interaction with traditional medicine. The text provided by the user is descriptive in nature. In the process of data analysis, various statistical techniques such as mean, standard deviation, T-test, and Pearson correlation were utilised. The results of this analysis indicated that the primary sources of information, namely radio (mean = 2.80), television (mean = 2.68), neighbours (mean = 2.65), fellow farmers (mean = 2.80), and extension agencies (mean = 2.61), were identified as the most effective sources of information. Furthermore, it is noteworthy that a multitude of ailments, including but not limited to malaria, cough, diabetes, high blood pressure, joint and back pain, hepatitis, diarrhoea, ulcer, indigestion, and pneumonia, have had a significant impact on the agricultural community in both Edo and Delta States. The study conducted in Edo and Delta States demonstrated that the presence of diseases has a significant impact on the farm size, yield, and subsequent income.  The utilisation of traditional medicine by farmers can be attributed to several factors, including its affordability, cost-effectiveness, cultural relevance, non-addictive nature, accessibility, natural composition, abundance, and absence of adverse effects or allergic reactions. The findings of the study indicate that traditional medicine demonstrated efficacy in the management of cough (mean = 2.70), diabetes (mean = 2.63), and malaria (mean = 2.50). The primary constraints encountered in the production process within Edo and Delta States were predominantly associated with inadequate road infrastructure (mean = 4.86), limited income (mean = 4.75), absence of a reliable water source (mean = 4.73), suboptimal crop yield (mean = 4.58), insufficient knowledge regarding traditional medicine (mean = 4.50), time allocation towards caring for the sick (mean = 4.44), illiteracy (mean = 4.49), lack of access to electricity (mean = 4.35), decreased labour availability (mean = 4.18), and work absenteeism (mean = 4.12). Similarly, Delta State likewise yielded same outcomes. The restrictions pertaining to the access and use of traditional medicine were found to be significant in both Edo and Delta States, as indicated by a mean value over 3.00. It is advisable to prioritise the enhancement of understanding regarding traditional medicine information in order to enhance farmers' access to traditional medicine.