Climate-friendly Farming Self-efficacy and Its Correlates among Secondary School Agricultural Science Students in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria

Abstract

The Paper assessed self-efficacy of secondary school agricultural science towards climate-friendly farming. It specifically examined the influence that attitude towards climate-friendly farming, knowledge of climate change and ownership of household farms could have on the climate-friendly farming self-efficacy of the respondents. Correlation analysis, chi-square, percentages and composite index technique were applied to a set of primary data collected from 200 randomly sampled agricultural science students in 4 randomly selected schools in Uyo, AKS. Findings revealed that 52% of the respondents have high climate-friendly farming self-efficacy. The respondents had a positive attitudinal disposition towards climate-friendly farming. Most (48.5%) of the respondents had low knowledge of climate change. There is a need for stakeholders to translate the high climate-friendly farming self-efficacy observed among the respondents into climate-smart farming through a conscious effort at increasing their participation in practical farming activities both in school and home farms. There is a need to include climate change issues in secondary school curriculum to raise the knowledge level of the agricultural students on climate change. Students, upon the acquisition of this knowledge and skills, would help in the extension of innovative and efficient farming methods to their households and communities thereby complementing government efforts in the extension of modern and acceptable practices in farming.