Role of Agricultural Education Farm Workshop in Development of Students’ Skills in Indigenous Mechanized Technology for Self-Reliance in Rivers State

Abstract

The study examined the role of agricultural education farm workshops in development of students’ skills in indigenous mechanized technology for self-reliance in Rivers State. Two research questions and two hypotheses were formulated for the study. The study adopted a descriptive research design. The sample size for the study was 293 respondents (278 students and 15 agricultural education lecturers) in the study area. The instrument for data collection was a self-structured questionnaire designed in a 4-point rating scale of agreement. The reliability of the instrument was established using the test-retest method which yielded 0.82. Data was analyzed using mean and standard deviation with a criterion mean value of 2.50 and above while a z-test statistical tool was used to test the null hypotheses at a significance level of 0.05. Findings from the study revealed that agricultural education workshop gives students access to hands-on-experience on the production of indigenous mechanized technologies for farming activities, improves students’ skills in construction and installation of agricultural indigenous mechanized tools. The study also revealed that agricultural education farm workshops inculcate students with the required skills in maintenance of indigenous mechanized farm equipment and aid students access to industrial workshop activities. Based on the findings, the study recommends that government at all levels should provide well-equipped farm workshops for agricultural education programmes to train and inculcate students with the necessary skills that will enhance the fabrication of agricultural indigenous mechanized technology.