Training Needs of Rural Women in Agriculture for Increased Crop Production in Ebonyi State

Abstract

The study focused on the Training needs of Rural Women in Agriculture for increased Crop Production in Ebonyi State. Two research questions and two null hypotheses guided the study. Survey research design was adopted. The population for the study was 240 which comprised 150 registered female farmers and 90 extension agents in the three Agricultural Zones in the State. There was no sampling due to the manageable size of the population. Structured questionnaire containing a total of 21 items was the instrument for data collection. The questionnaire was validated by three experts, two in Agricultural Education and one in Measurement and Evaluation all in Faculty of Education Enugu State University of Science and Technology, Enugu. The reliability of the instrument was determined using Cronbach Alpha reliability coefficient method. A correlation of 0.76 was obtained. A total of 240 copies of the questionnaire were distributed by the researcher and three research assistants. All the 240 copies of the questionnaire distributed were properly filled and used for data analysis. Mean and standard deviation were used to analyze the data collected while t- test was used to test the hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance at the appropriate degree of freedom. Findings among others was that women have difficulties in accessing farmland, improved seeds, chemicals for weed, pests and diseases control, Low level of basic education, lack of female extension agents to train them and it was recommended among others that land allocation should be reviewed to enable women have land for farming. They should be an organized training programme for women farmers by Ebonyi State Agricultural Development project.