MID-RAIN PLANTAIN FARMING SKILL NEEDS REQUIRED BY GRADUATES OF AGRICULTURE EDUCATION FOR SUSTAINABLE PRODUCTION IN AKWA IBOM STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

The study determined mid-rain plantain farming skill needs by graduates of agriculture education for sustainable production in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. Three research questions and one hypothesis guided the study. Mean with standard deviation was used to answer the research questions, while t-test was used in testing the hypothesis at .05 level of significance. Descriptive survey design was used for the study. The study was carried out among agriculture education lecturers and registered plantain farmers in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. The population comprised of two hundred and forty (240) registered plantain farmers and one hundred and twenty (120) Agriculture Education lecturers in three (3) tertiary institutions as follows; 50 from University of Uyo, 40 from Akwa Ibom State University, Ikot Akpaden, and 30 from College of Education, Afaha Nsit. Simple random sampling technique was used to obtain fifty percent (50%) of the population. A sample of 180 respondents was used for the study.  A researcher made instrument title: ‘Min-rain plantain farming skills need for sustainable production Questionnaire (MPFSNSP)’was used for data collection. The instrument was face validated by experts. Reliability co-efficient of .86 was obtained using Cronbach alpha reliability test. The findings of the study revealed that agriculture education graduates need skills; pre-planting, planting and post-planting cultural practices in mid-rain plantain farming technology for sustainable plantain production in Akwa Ibom State. It was recommended among others that government of Akwa Ibom State in collaboration with ministry of agriculture should organize workshop and field demonstration on mid-rain plantain farming cultural practice for the graduates for agriculture education for sustainable plantain production in Nigeria.