THEMATIC ANALYSIS OF AGRICULTURAL INFORMATION IN SELECTED NIGERIAN NEWSPAPERS

Abstract

This study examined the thematic representation and prominence of agricultural information in selected Nigerian newspapers, focusing on Vanguard, The Nation, Business Day, The Sun, and Daily Trust. Using purposive and systematic sampling, a total of 420 newspaper editions published over six months were analyzed, yielding 612 agricultural-related articles. Results showed that food crop production dominated coverage with 57.2%, followed by livestock farming (24.5%), while weather information (1.9%) and irrigation farming (2.4%) were least reported. In comparison with other news categories such as politics, foreign affairs, and entertainment, agricultural news received relatively low editorial prominence, indicating that agriculture remains underrepresented in Nigerian print media. Among the newspapers, Daily Trust recorded the highest overall coverage with 240 news articles, while The Sun had the least with 35 articles. The study concludes that Nigerian newspapers tend to focus on crop-related and conflict-driven agricultural issues rather than developmental, educational, or technology-based themes. It recommends that newspaper organizations enhance editorial commitment toward developmental agricultural reporting, emphasizing innovations, climate adaptation, and food security to support national growth. Strengthened collaboration between media and agricultural institutions will further improve the quality and frequency of agricultural information dissemination in Nigeria.