Determinants of training needs of extension personnel of agricultural development programme (ADP) Ekiti state, Nigeria

Abstract

The dynamics experienced in agricultural practice has put extension service delivery on a new platform that requires regular updating of the extension staff knowledge for new competences, to meet the changing needs of the clientele they serve. This study therefore sought to determine the training needs of extension personnel of Agricultural Development Programme (ADP) in Ekiti State of Nigeria. The population of the study was all extension personnel in the three agricultural zones of the Ekiti State ADP. Random sampling technique was used to select 60 extension personnel from a total of 65 extension personnel from the zones to which questionnaire were administered; however, only 51 questionnaires were returned which were analysed for this study. The mean age of the extension personnel was 44 years with about 63% within the age range of 41-50 years. About 76.5% of the extension workers had higher national diploma (HND). Forty seven percent of the extension personnel had work experience between 11 and 20 years; about 33% of them had work experience between 1 and 10 years while 19.6% had above 20 years experience at work. The results of the chi square analysis show that factors such as sex (X² = 8.24, p < 0.5), educational level (X² = 6.49; p < 0.05), years of work experience of the extension personnel (X² =11.58, p < 0.5) and attendance of in-service training (X² = 6.32; p < 0.10) were significant determinants of their training needs.

Key words: Agricultural Extension personnel, extension services, training needs, Ekiti State ADP