Assessement of the Impact of Rural Infrastrustures (water Supply and Feeder Roads) by Ebonyi State Agricultural Development Programme (ebadep) on Farmers Agricultural Practices and Socio - Economic Status

This study determined impact of rural infrastructures (provision of water supply, and feeder roads) by Ebonyi State Agricultural Development programme (EBADEP) on farmers’ agricultural practices and socio economic status. Two research questions guided the study. The study made use of survey design. The study was carried out in Ebonyi State Nigeria. The Population for the study was 398 made up of 322 contact farmers and 76 extension agents from the three agricultural zones in the state. Questionnaire was the instrument used in collecting data for the study. The Instrument was validated by three experts. Cronbach alpha reliability method was adopted to determine the internal consistency of the instrument. The reliability coefficient of 0.67 and 0.77 were obtained for section A and section B of the instrument respectively. A total of 398 questionnaires were administered on the respondents. Three hundred and ninety-eight were retrieved and analyzed using weighted mean and impact index to answer the research questions. It was found out that the provision of infrastructures such as rural water supply and construction of feeder roads by EBADEP had great impact on the farmers’ agricultural practices and socio economic status. It was recommended among others that the rural infrastructural component of EBADEP should be sustained by government, and that government should also find ways of expanding, the coverage areas of the programme so that more farmers will benefits from their services.