USE OF MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEM IN AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION PROGRAMMES OF AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY, ZARIA, NIGERIA
USE OF MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEM IN AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION PROGRAMMES OF AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY, ZARIA, NIGERIA
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Date
2014-06
Authors
ADEDOKUN, Olubukola Aderonke
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Abstract
This study investigated the Use of Management Information System for Enhanced
Activities in Agricultural Extension Programmes of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. To
achieve the objectives of the study, the study formulated six research questions. A
qualitative research methodology using the case study approach was adopted. An
Interview guide, focus groups and observations were the instruments used to collect data.
The target population of the study comprised of the Management and MIS staff of the
Agricultural Extension programmes in National Agricultural Extension Research Liaison
Services (NAERLS) and National Animal Production Research Institute (NAPRI). The
responses from the sampled staff of the Agricultural Extension Programmes were
collated, analyzed and interpreted descriptively, using tables. The finding showed that the
Agricultural Extension Programmes in the Institutes surveyed, made use of one MIS
facility or the other. The most available and used MIS facilities were the computer,
scanner, printer, digital camera, generator and multimedia projector. All the facilities
available and used by the MIS/IT staff had so little to do with decision making but more
of statistics generation from various field researches. The sources of information for the
MIS staff were more of external than internal sources. There was no information passed
from the Agricultural Extension programs to MIS, which is a crucial internal source of
information. The channels of information to managers were the E-mail, phones, prints
and paper files. There existed no intranet, extranet, interactive website or a specific
discussion forum for the Extension program heads. The types of report generated include
the scheduled, summary and the on-demand reports. The contributions of MIS include:
increased access to information, improved generation of information and dissemination,
improved communication networking between colleagues and other Institutions and
availability of consistent data. These contributions have very little relation with decision
making. The challenges resulting in the partial use of the MIS and its facilities include
power supply, lack/ shortage of specialist’s personnel for development program for MIS,
inadequate infrastructure and lack of full support by management staff. The study
therefore concluded that the Use of MIS for enhancing activities in these Agricultural
Research Institutions is partial and the facilities are not used for enhancing decision
making, being the essence of an MIS. In view of this a number of recommendations were
made, some of which are: Provision of a separate structure for MIS with expanded
facilities and the MIS unit put in place should be to provide information strictly for all
levels of management, for effective decision making. This will go a long way to help
improve information flow, hence decision making
Description
A THESIS SUBMITTED TO THE SCHOOL OF POSTGRADUATE STUDIES,
AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY, ZARIA
IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE AWARD OF A
MASTER DEGREE IN INFORMATION SCIENCE
DEPARTMENT OF LIBRARY AND INFORMATION SCIENCE,
FACULTY OF EDUCATION,
AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY, ZARIA.
NIGERIA
JUNE, 2014
Keywords
MANAGEMENT,, INFORMATION SYSTEM,, AGRICULTURAL,, EXTENSION,, PROGRAMMES,