NIGERIAN AGRICULTURAL SCIENTISTS’ INSTITUTIONAL INFORMATION SOURCES

Abstract

This study investigated the specialisations as well as the intra and inter-institutional sources of information of agricultural scientists in Nigeria. The study used a multi-stage sampling procedure to select 172 agricultural scientists from 11 agricultural research institutes in Nigeria. The results indicate that more than one third of the agricultural scientists are agronomists/plant protectionists while meteorologists and social science based experts constitute about six percent. The major intra-institutional information sources , in descending order are: notice boards, bulletins, circulars, memoranda and journals. The prominent inter-institutional information sources, also, in descending order are: journals, newsletters, meetings, bulletins and conferences. Agricultural scientists, generally, lack access to current information technologies in their research institutes.