AFRICAN JOURNAL OF I
EDUCATIONAL PLANNING AND I  
POLICY STUDIES . .  I 
EDUCATIONAL PLANNlWG UNiT 
DEPARTMfWT OF EDUCATIONAL MIIIUGEIIW 
I UMNERSITY OF IBADAN, NIGERIA 
UNIVERSITY OF IBADAN LIBRARY
African Journal of Educational Planning and PolicyStudies 1:2:31- 41, 2000 31
INFORMATION USE AND PRODUCTIVITY OF AGRICULTURAL
ENGINEERS IN NIGERIA
Josephine U. Igbeka,
Kenneth Dike Library,
University of Ibadan
Abstract. The study sought to determine the sources and types of information used by
agricultural engineers in Nigeria and the extent to which the information usage of agric
engineers determine their productivity level. The study made use of 261 agricultural
engineers who were selected by stratified random sampling technique according to their
different places, of work. Data was collected through the use of questionnaire tagged
information Utilization Scale (IUS). The data was analyzed using percentages and
. simple correlation statistics. The results show that a large percentage of the respondents
utilize agricultural engineering textbooks and manuals (67.8%), journal publications
(66.7%),and conference/workshop papers (66.7%)to a great extent. However, the result
established that 67% of the respondents do not use information about laws and states,
administrative rules and executive order. Moreover, the result shows that on the
average the respondents altogether produced one published research paper, two
conference papers, one extensive pamphlet, two research designs, one prototype and
two-fabricated equipment per year.
Introduction
The role of information in the enhancement of any profession cannot be over-
emphasized. Information is an important resource ranked fourth after land,
labour and capital. Therefore, all organizations require information to function
(Chukwudebe, 1997). Information not only serves as an input resource for
effective development planning, but is also essential for the optimal allocation
and utilization of all other resources. It is necessary to state that the only way
whereby information can play any important role in productivity is when it is
properly utilized. Researchers (Opeke, 1984, Aiyepeku, 1989, and Tiamiyu,
1990) were of the view that information is used for uncertainty reduction.
Several sources of information are normally available to the user, but Lancaster
(1979) reported that accessibility and ease of use seem to be the most important
factor that determines whether or not a particular source is used or can be used.
The fact that a particular situation needs information in order to achieve
its goal/ objective, or that sources of information are accessible and available to
the searchers does not mean that the information will be processed or used
UNIVERSITY OF IBADAN LIBRARY
32 Josephine U. Igbeka
(Wilson, 1997). Information is used if it leads to changes in the user's state of
knowledge, behaviour, values or beliefs. The use of information is dependent
upon the context of use as information need is dependent upon the situation
under which it arises (Bandura, 1986). I r
Agricultural engineers like all other professionals benefit in the use of
information while carrying out their various goals and objectives.Although the
productivity of these engineers may vary according to their specific occupation
or places of work, their goal remain the same, which is mainly the application
of the knowledge, techniques, and disciplines of various fields of engineering
to the solution of problems arising in the fields of agriculture and rural living,
with the objective of reducing labour, improving agricultural productivity per
worker, raising the standard of living of the farmers and increasing the overall
earnings per worker.
The achievements of agricultural engineers in Nigeria are quite low,
judging from the level of food production in Nigeria. Farming is still widely
practiced using human labour and mainly traditional tools. Labour component
constitutes the highest factor in produce cost studies carried out in Nigeria
(Pingali et al 1987). Instead of the farm population dwindling with time, it is
increasing (Igbeka, 1995).
Nigerian agricultural engineers have therefore been called upon to find a
solution to the problems the peasant farmers/masses face by stepping up
efforts on indigenous innovation of engineering technology and the production
of gadgets that are compatible with the prevailing conditions (Ayinmodu,
1988). Accordingly, Abimbola (1997) stated that there is a challenge for
agricultural engineers to put effort into research and development of simple
and more efficient farm tools and equipment. These could not be possible if the
agricultural engineers do not have adequate and current information. Verma
(1988) while citing the Indian experience on agricultural productivity stated
that, one of the methods used in achieving their objectives was through the
provision of adequate information centres, which promote speedy
dissemination of information and documentation of new knowledge to
agricultural engineers on request.
Igbeka (1995), on the information needs of agricultural engineers in
Nigeria, found out that most of the libraries used by agricultural engineers in
their places of work do not have adequate and current information sources. The
sources that are available sometimes do not contain the type of information the
engineers would like to use, There is need therefore for librarians in these
libraries to know the type and sources of information used by the agricultural
engineers. The use of these information sources could provide them with the
type 'of information they would want to use to improve their productivity.
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Information use and Productivity of Agricultural Engineers in Nigeria 33
This paper therefore seeks to find out the information sources, and the
types of information used by agricultural engineers in Nigeria and the extent to
which they use these sources and types ofinformation, The study would also
find out if the use of these information sources/types of information correlates
with the agricultural engineers' productivity.
Based on this, three research questions were posed and one hypothesis
was formulated for the study:
Research Questions
1. What is the extent of use of various information sources by agricultural
engineers ill Nigeria?
2. What type(s) of information are used by agricultural engineers in Nigeria?
3. What is the productivity level of agricultural engineers in Nigeria?
Hypothesis
The information utilization of agricultural engineers in Nigeria is not related to
their productivity.
Methodology
This study was conducted using the ex-post facto research approach. Stratified
random sampling technique was used to select 261 agricultural engineers as
samples according to their places of work (tertiary institutions, government
establishments/ministries, 'research institutes and private organizations). The
proportional allocation to sample was adopted to obtain the sample size for
each stratum i.e. (f = fh) and fh = nh/ N.
The instrument used for the study was .a questionnaire tagged
Information Utilization Scale,which was developed by the research following a
modified 4/ point Likert scale format.
Data analysis involved the use of percentages and correlation coefficient.
Results
Table 1 shows the extent to which the agricultural engineers utilize various
sources of information.
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34 JosephineU.Igbeka
T,able 1 Informa tion UtiTization andS ources U sedb'YRespondents
To What extent do you use information from the following Percentage Response
sources? 1 -- 2 3
% % %
Persons in Federal and State Government/Ministries 49.8 24.5 25.7
Teachers in Institutions 38.3 32.6 29.1
Persons in universities and research institutions 24.6 28.7 46.7
Persons in private sector organizations 50.9 25.7 23.4
Internal files of your organizations 42.6 19.9 37.5
Government publications (plans, budgets, gazettes, etc, 49.1 25.3 25.7
published by Nigerian Federal and State Government).
Consultancy reports (commissioned by the Federal and 44.9 28.0 27.2
various state Government of Nigeria)
Conference (Workshop) papers (i.e. papers presented at 9.6 23.8 66.7
various State and National academic conferences etc.)
Agric. Enz. Textbooks and library manuals 10.8 21.5 67.8
Information Systems/Cd-ROM Databases 64.8 15.3 19.9
Journals and publications 10.4 23.0 66.7
Other Information Sources 52.5 27.2 20.3
Code: 1 = Not at all/Never
2 = Some extent/ sometimes
3 = Very great extent/ always
The table shows that 49.8% of the agricultural engineers do not use
information from persons in the Federal and State governments as against
25.7% of them that use information for such persons only. 29.1% of the
engineers use teachers in institutions to obtain information, while 38.3% do not
use such sources. However, popular among the sources used to a great extent
are agricultural engineering textbooks and library manuals (67.8%),
conference/workshop papers, (66.7%) and journal publications (66.7%). 46.6%
of the engineers utilize persons in the universities and research institutions as
sources of information. Some of the sources are never utilized by many of the
respondents, for example, CD ROM Databases (64.8%), consultancy reports
(44.9%), persons in private sector (50.9%) and government publications, plans,
budget, gazette etc (49.1%). The above therefore, shows the extent of use of
information sources, textbooks, journals and conference materials are found to
be the most extensively used sources of information by Agricultural Engineers
in Nigeria.
On the type of information used by the engineers, table 2 shows that a
greater percentage of the agricultural engineers (64.4%) always use information
about their field; (62.1~) of them utilize information about procedures for
UNIVERSITY OF IBADAN LIBRARY
Information use and Productiitijy of Agricultural Engineers in Nigeria 35
performing their tasks and responsibilities, while (49.4 %) utilize information on
results from scientific and social research s.':lrveys.
Information on knowledge of what to impart to students and summary
of original document are utilized by (42.5%) and (47.5%) of the engineers
respectively. However, majority (67%) of the respondents do not use
information about laws and statutes administrative rules, and executive orders.
In the same light, (59.0%) of the engineers do not make use of summary
statistics about the population, government revenues and budget. Other types
of information not.very popular with the engineers include information about
institutions, companies and places since they are utilized by only (47.5%) of the
engineers. The table also shows that (41.4%) of the agricultural engineers do not
utilize information from descriptive documents.
Table 2. Information Utilization and Types of Information Used by
Respon dents
ItemDescription Never Sometimes Always
To what extent do you use each of the following % % %
types of information?
Information about institutions companies and 47.5 25.7 26.8
places
ResultsofScientificand socialresearchsurveys 21.8 28.7 I 49.4
Information about procedures for performingyour 19.5 18.4 62.1
tasks and responsibilities
Informationabout your field (Azric.Enz.) 12.7 18.0 69.4
Knowledgeonwhat to impact to students 36.8 20.7 42.5
Informationabout laws and statutes administrative
rules, executiveorders. 70.0 22.2 16.9
To what extent do you use each of the following % % %
types of documents?
Full-lengthoriginal document 31.1 39.8 29.1
Summaryoforiginaldocument 19.6 33.0 47.5
Reviewof originaldocument 30.6 44.1 25.3
Evaluationof originaldocument 3.8.3 37.5 24.1
Descriptivedocument 41.4 37.5. 24.1
From the above, it could be observed that a greater percentage (64.4%) of
the agricultural engineers always use information about their field. However,
67% of the respondents do not use information about laws and statues
administrative rules and executive order.
UNIVERSITY OF IBADAN LIBRARY
36 JosephinUe . Igbeka
Table 3 shows that agricultural engineers in tertiary institutions and
research institutes publish more research papers than those in the private and
public sectors. Those in tertiary institutions publish an average of two papers
while those in research institutes publish about one. Those in private and
public sectors publish an average of 0.4 and 0.26 papers respectively. However,
as can be seen in the table, those in the private sector produce more prototypes
(3.95) .and research designs (4.93) than those in the tertiary institutions and
research institutes. They also fabricate more machines than those in any other
sector. Teaching and supervision are carried out mainly in the tertiary
institutions, in the range of 7.37 course workload and 3.2 project supervision
annually.
Table 3. Productivity and Mean Levels of Agricultural Engineers in Nigeria
based on theilrf diff erent plIaces 0f work per year
Productivity Private Public Tertiary Research Noper Mean
Sector Institution Institution year
No. % No. % No. % No. %
Research 12 0.26 29 0.4 171 1.68 44 1.46 256 1
paper
Conference 68 1.5 96 1.18 164 1.56 55 1.8 383 2
paper
Extension 70 1.55 122 1.5 15 0.14 11. 0.36 218 1
pamphlets
Research 223 4.95 115 1.4 95 0.90 83 2:7 5.16 2
Designs
Prototypes 178 3.95 90 1.1 47 0.44 47 1.5 362 1
Fabricated 176 3.9 120 1.48 65 0.619 63 2.1 424 2
machines
Coursework 58 1.2 15 0.18 774 7.37 3 1.16 882 3
load
Supervision 62 1.3 31 0.38 336 3.2 18 0.6 447 2
The above table therefore reveals that on the average, the agricultural
engineers (altogether) produce one published research paper, two conference
papers, and produced one extension pamphlet, two research designs, one
prototype, and two fabricated equipment in a year. There are also indications
that on the average, the engineers teach three units of course work and
supervise two research projects in a year.
UNIVERSITY OF IBADAN LIBRARY
Information use and Productivity of Agricultural Engineersin Nigeria 37
Table 4 shows that the means score of info'rmation utilization by
agricultural engineers in Nigeria is -x = 37.7, SD = 3.7 while that of their
productivity is -x = 71.9,SD = 9.3.
, .
Table 4. Showing Test of Significance of Correlation between Productivity and
Information Utilization 0f A.zgricultura I Engineers in Nigeria
Variables No Mean Std. Dev. r
Productivity 261 37.7241 3.6739 .2501
Information utilization 261 71.9349 9.2445
P < 0.001
The study established that there was a positive significant correlation between
information utilization and productivity of agricultural engineers in Nigeria.
(r = 0.2501, p< 0.001).
Therefore, the hypothesis that the information utilization of agricultural
engineers in Nigeria is not related to their productivity is rejected.
Discussion and Conclusion.
As can be seen from the above results, the agricultural engineers utilize
different information sources and different types of information in varying
degrees. Some of the sources and types of information used are more popular
than others. The extent of utilization could depend on the availability of these
sources; in other words, the sources' not used (for example the information
systems, CD.ROM databases etc.) might not be available in their different
places of work. Another reason could be that the source or system may be
difficult to use. In support of this, Wilson (1981),states that "the user may seek
and use information from other people., rather than from systems". This is in
cases where there is a choice. In other cases, information systems/CD-ROM
databases may not be available, and even when they are, the engineers in some
cases may .notknow how to use them to obtain or find the information they
need. According to Mooers (1960), an information system will tend not be used
whenever it is painful to retrieve information from it. Liebacher et al (1996)
therefore opined that different plans of action are necessary to enhance
adoption and use of the electronic databases and Internet. One of them is
training programs, and identification of the information needs of specific user
groups.
In support of the engineers' popular choice in the use of journals and
publications, Subramanyan, (1981), ascertained that journal articles "have been
UNIVERSITY OF IBADAN LIBRARY
38 Josephine U. Igbeka
found to be the important bibliographic unit, because journals and textbooks
provide authentic guide to theoretical models".
Conference and workshop papers provide information from conferences
and workshops where these engineers often meet and exchange information,
which in most cases are very current. Thus Drott (1995) concludes that
conferences consolidate and present a discipline's current information.
Due to the differences in their places of work, the type of information and
style of presentation of information used by the engineers might also differ. For
instance, the academics.will tend to use more of academic information, while
those in the ministries and private sector may be interested more in statistics
laws, statutes and publications. This view corroborates Tiamiyu's (1990)
opinion that" three factors influence the use of information and information
sources in organizations, namely the characteristics of the task environment,
length and/brevity of source, accuracy, subject content and the extent to which
sources provide information that enables users to justify or account for official
decisions.
The productivity of the agricultural engineers from the results is
encouraging, more so, when it takes a lot of time to produce an engineering
publication, a research designs, a machine fabrication or prototype in the face
of the relevant activities of the engineers. However, there are indications that
the productivity level of the engineers can still be improved if they are supplied
with more current information. This supports Rafea et aI's (1994) work on
expert systems. The Expert System was used for improved crop production of
cucumber and citrus (oranges and limes) by using CD-ROMbased CANDIDE
software for the University of Florida.
The mean age (39.15years) and a working experience of 1-10 years of
most of the respondents (60.5%) could have affected the results of the
productivity level. Working experience does in most cases enhance
productivity; therefore, this might have militated against their productivity.
The' result of the hypothesis revealed that information utilization
necessitates an increase in the productivity level of the agricultural engineers in
Nigeria. Accordingly, the more an agricultural engineer makes use of
information in his or her work, the more his/her productivity is enhanced. This
finding is in line with Popoola's (1999)study that information, when properly
used, enhances workers' productivity. Thus, Verma (1988) while citing the
Indian experience, stated that one of the methods used in increasing
productivity by means of indigenous technology was through the provision of
adequate information centres which promote speedy dissemination and
utilization of information for the documentation of new knowledge for
agricultural engineers on request.
UNIVERSITY OF IBADAN LIBRARY
Information use and Productivity of Agricultural Engineers in Nigeria 39
',.,
Recommendations
Based on the findings of the study, the following recommendations were
made
1. There should be adequate provision of current publications (Journals,
textbooks, manuals) supplied to the libraries of the various institutions
and establishment where the agricultural engineers work.
2. There should be provision of On-Line facilities in their libraries.
Computer system utilization opportunity should be made readily
available in the engineers' places of work to facilitate Internet
connectivity for the provision of current information.
3. Training facilities in the use of the new information technologies
should be made available by their various establishments.
4. Linkage programmes should be encouraged among allied institutions
to enhance information exchange.
5. The engineers should be encouraged to subscribe to agricultural
engineering journals for current information.
References
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JOSEPHINE U. IGBEKA is currently a Senior Librarian in the Kenneth Dike
Librarf, University of lbadan. She was formerly a teacher in the Oyo State Teaching
Service, where she taught Chemistnj and Biologl) and eventually rose to the rank of
Vice Principal. She also managed the School Libran) while she was there. She later took
up appointment with the Universih) of Ibadan; as an academic Librarian.
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