A Survey of Rural Dwellers’ Opinion on Effects of Extension Education on Their Socio-Economic Development in South-West, Nigeria

Rural areas in developing nations, Nigeria, inclusive are characterized with series of socio-economic challenges which is also typical of the rural communities and areas in South-West, Nigeria. Descriptive survey research design was implored for the study. The study population comprised all the people living in the rural areas in South West Nigeria. The sample size of the study was Six hundred (600) subjects, selected through a snow-balling sampling technique. Data was collected, using the primary and secondary sources. For the primary data, self-developed questionnaire by the researchers, entitled, “Questionnaire on a Survey of Rural Area Dwellers’ Opinion on Effects of Extension Education on their Socio-Economic Development in South-West, Nigeria†, developed on Four Likert Rating Scale of Strongly Agreed (SA), Agreed (A), Disagreed (D) and Strongly Disagreed (SD), while six sessions of Focus Group Discussion (FGDs) were used to obtain secondary data. The research instrument was validated by an expert in Test and Measurement of Adeyemi College of Education, Ondo State, while the reliability of the instrument was done through test retest method at two weeks interval. 0.69 coefficient reliability was obtained. The research questions were analysed, using the descriptive statistics (frequency counts, simple percentages and means), while inferential statistics (Pearson Product Moment Corellation, PPMC) was used to analyse the research hypothesis. The qualitative data collected was collated and transcribed, qualitatively. Based on the results, conclusions were made that: Extension education could improve the welfare status and also equip people at the rural areas with the knowledge and skills for engaging in productive economic activities. Since (r = 59*, N = 600, P