This study examined mass media's influence on agricultural development in Ika South Local Government Area, Delta State, Nigeria. Using cluster sampling methodology, 399 participants were surveyed through structured questionnaires. Findings identified extension personnel, farmers, colleagues, neighbors, radio, television, and print media as primary agricultural information sources. Major barriers to accessing agricultural information via mass media included inadequate electrical power supply, poor network connectivity, expensive media acquisition costs, and insufficient feedback mechanisms. The research recommends governmental investment in rural electrification programs, collaborative government-media partnerships to enhance telecommunications infrastructure, and implementation of improved feedback systems to facilitate effective communication between media institutions and rural agricultural practitioners. These interventions are essential for optimizing mass media's role in agricultural information dissemination and rural development.
Vol. 4, No 3, pp. 54-60.