Perception of Recipients of Agricultural Science Education of Agriculture and Agribusiness: A Survey

Abstract

Effort of government at all levels to transform agricultural sector in Nigeria and diversify the economy from oil required that Nigeria educated youth should be persuaded to take active roles in the process. As youth have latent potential to overcome some major constraints to improving agricultural productivity. Major step in this direction is to encourage and support graduates of agriculture and related fields to take up career in agribusiness. On these premises this paper examined willingness of students of vocational agricultural education in colleges of education to take up career in agricultural-entrepreneurship. Questionnaires were given to 76 final year students in the department of Agricultural Science Education, The College of Education, Lanlate. The findings revealed that respondents have positive perceptions of agriculture and agribusiness and showed strong willingness to find their opportunity to contribute as leaders and participants in agricultural sector. Major challenges to willingness to actively participate in agribusiness were found to be limited-access to capital, land, agribusiness information and extension services, risk of uncertainty in agriculture, and high cost of inputs. The paper recommended strengthening of extension services and out of school agricultural knowledge, improve access to capital, land and information on government support and reinvigoration of agricultural-entrepreneurship education to make it relevant to needs of the recipients and address emerging challenges in agricultural sector.