Agricultural Extension Services and the Adoption of Climate-Smart Agricultural Practices among Smallholder Farmers in Northern Taraba State, Nigeria

Climate change poses significant challenges to smallholder agricultural production through changing rainfall patterns, drought, soil degradation and increasing production uncertainty. Climate-smart agriculture (CSA) provides an approach for improving agricultural productivity and resilience while promoting sustainable management of natural resources. Agricultural extension services can support CSA adoption by providing farmers with relevant information, technical knowledge, training and practical demonstrations. This study examined the role of agricultural extension services in promoting the adoption of climate-smart agricultural practices among smallholder farmers in Northern Taraba State, Nigeria. A descriptive survey design was adopted. The accessible population comprised 610 eligible smallholder farmers in Karim Lamido, Jalingo and Zing Local Government Areas, from which 235 farmers were selected using a multistage sampling procedure involving purposive selection, proportionate allocation and simple random sampling. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire and analysed using frequencies, percentages, means, standard deviations and multiple regression analysis. The findings showed that farmers generally adopted CSA practices, with a grand mean of 3.07. Mixed cropping/intercropping recorded the highest mean (3.38), while rainwater harvesting had the lowest mean (2.69). Although 71.1% of farmers had access to agricultural extension services, 46.0% received extension visits only occasionally and 15.7% did not receive extension visits. Farmers had a generally positive perception of extension services, with a grand mean of 2.71, while the perceived role of extension services in promoting CSA adoption recorded a grand mean of 2.83. The multiple regression model was statistically significant (F = 29.310, p < 0.001) and explained 54.9% of the variation in CSA adoption (R² = 0.549; adjusted R² = 0.531). Age had a significant negative association with CSA adoption, whereas education, farming experience, farm size and annual income had significant positive associations. The study concludes that agricultural extension services play an important role in supporting CSA adoption, but greater frequency of extension contact, practical training and stronger linkages to agricultural inputs and support services are needed to enhance farmers’ capacity to adopt and sustain appropriate CSA practices in Northern Taraba State.