ASSESSMENT OF POST GRADUATE AGRICULTURAL STUDENTS POTENTIALS AS AGENT FOR AGRICULTURAL TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER IN FEDERAL UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY AKURE, NIGERIA

Abstract

The study focused on postgraduate agricultural student potentials as agent for agricultural technology transfer in Federal University of Technology Akure, Nigeria. Structured questionnaire was administrated to thirty (30) respondents. Analysis of the data was carried out using descriptive statistics such as frequency counts, percentage, and weighed mean score while Pearson Product Moment Correlation (PPMC) was used to present the results of the hypotheses. It was discovered that mean years of schooling was 16.63 years. Internet and University library were the major sources of information on Agricultural technologies available to respondents. The major problems that could cause loss of interest towards being an agent of agricultural technology transfer was inadequate funding of agricultural extension. Result also revealed that there is significant relationship between years spent in schooling (r=0.819, p=0.000) and the post graduate students potentials as an agent of agricultural technology transfer. The study concluded that Postgraduate Agricultural Students developed high potentials towards transferring of technologies to farmers. The study therefore recommended that policy makers and extension agency should accommodate and make use of Postgraduate Agricultural Students in the transfer of innovations to farmers especially at a time when the country is experiencing decline in Agricultural extension workers.