Vocational Education Needs of Cucumber Farmers for enhancing Productivity in Ikwerre Local Government Areas of Rivers State (Published)
This study examined the vocational education needs of cucumber farmers for enhancing productivity in Ikwerre local government areas of Rivers State. The population of the study comprised of 108 registered cucumber farmers in the study area. The study adopted a census study as the entire population was used. Three research questions were formulated to guide the study. Data were collected using well validated and structured questionnaire and interview. The reliability coefficient (r) of 0.81 was established using test-retest method. Data were analyzed descriptively using Mean and Standard Deviation with criterion mean value of 2.50 and above, while z-test was used to test the hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance. The findings showed that farmers need vocational education for good knowledge in selection of site, mulching techniques, identify good seed variety and determine the need for soil treatment among others. The study also showed that cucumber farmers need vocational education to be skillful on the removal of old and diseased cucumber plants from the field, apply foliar herbicides to control disease infections. Based on the findings the study recommended that Rivers State government should direct the vocational education centers to integrate the identified skills in commercial cucumber production enterprises into skill acquisition centers for training youths for employment and retraining farmers for competency on the job. Cucumber farmers in Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers State should also be encouraged and motivated to enroll into Vocational Education centers in the state to learn the skills needed in commercial cucumber production for sustainable living.
Keywords: Cucumber, Needs, Productivity, Vocational education, farming