Pre and Post Training Knowledge of Cassava Viral Disease among Farmer and Extension Officer in Nigeria

This study presents findings of a train-the trainer cassava stakeholders training workshop conducted in 2017. Farmers and agricultural extension officers from 12 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in Nigeria were invited for a 2-day workshop aimed at raising awareness and educating participants on cassava virus disease management. An open-ended questionnaire was used to measure pre and post workshop knowledge alongside practices and needs. A total of 74 persons, 49 farmers and 25 extension officers were included in the study. Participants were mostly males who had been cultivating cassava for 12 +/- 9 years or had been providing extension services for 17 +/- 9 years. Pre-workshop knowledge on cassava viral diseases among cassava farmers was poor with farmers scoring an average of 2.04 +/- 1.1 out of 5 obtainable points on knowledge. Disease management practices were poor among farmers with 40.8% obtaining planting materials from unverified sources. Post-workshop evaluation showed that farmers' knowledge of cassava viral diseases had increased as adjudged by an average knowledge score of 7.98 +/- 1.80 out of 11 obtainable points. This study highlights the effectiveness of training in improving farmers' knowledge and equipping them to contribute to the management of cassava viral diseases.