Assessment of Livestock Extension Services Delivery in Yobe State, North East Nigeria

This study assesses the delivery and utilisation of livestock extension services in Yobe State, located in Nigeria's North East geopolitical zone. Veterinary and livestock extension services are essential mechanisms for translating research and technical knowledge into productivity improvements at the farmer level, yet service delivery in the North East has been severely constrained by insecurity, funding shortfalls, and staffing deficits. Using a descriptive cross-sectional design, structured questionnaires were administered to 150 livestock farmers and 40 veterinary and livestock extension officers across five local government areas in Yobe State. Topics covered included frequency of extension contact, services received, farmer satisfaction, barriers to service access, and the impact of insecurity on extension operations. Findings revealed that only 28 percent of livestock farmers had received any form of extension service contact in the 12 months preceding the survey. Vaccination assistance was the most commonly provided service (received by 22% of farmers who received any service), while technical training and animal health monitoring were rarely provided. Extension officers reported operating at fewer than 25 percent of recommended staffing capacity and lacking functional vehicles or communication equipment. Security constraints had prevented extension visits to approximately 40 percent of the state's gazetted livestock production areas. The study recommends investment in extension infrastructure, digital extension service channels, community-based animal health worker programmes, and conflict-sensitive extension delivery strategies for the North East zone. Keywords: livestock extension, veterinary services, Yobe State, service delivery, North East Nigeria.