Entrepreneurial Skill Improvement Needs of Agricultural Science Teachers for Sustainable Fingerling Production as a Support Enterprise in Cross River State, Nigeria

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine the entrepreneurial skill improvement needs of agricultural science teachers for sustainable fingerling production as a support enterprise in Cross River state, Nigeria. The study had three specific objectives and three research questions. The study adopted survey design. The population for the study was 120 respondents which comprised of 78 fish farmers, 20 Agricultural Extension agents and 22 University Lecturers. The sample size was 88 which were obtained using Taro Yamane formular. Purposive sampling technique was used to select 88 respondents consisting of 60 fish farmers, 13 extension agents and 15 University lecturers in Cross River State. Data for the study was collected through a structured questionnaire divided into sections to reflect the specific objectives of the study. The instrument was face validated by three experts in the fish production industry. The reliability of the instrument was determined using Cronbach Alpha and yielded a coefficient of 0.89 indicating that the instrument is reliable. The data obtained were coded and manipulated using Descriptive statistical tools (mean and standard deviation). The findings of the study revealed that 10 skills in planning of fingerling production, 17 skills in breeding of fingerlings and 14 marketing skills for marketing of fingerlings were mostly needed by agricultural undergraduates for entry into sustainable fingerling production enterprise. The study concluded that agricultural undergraduates need skills in planning of fingerling production, breeding of fingerlings and marketing of fingerlings.  Based on the findings it was recommended that the identified skills should be package into a retraining programme to enable secondary school teachers to have a support business.