Training Needs of Women Vegetable Farmers in the University of Calabar Farm, Nigeria

Abstract

A two stage sampling technique was employed to select 60 respondents (women vegetable farmers). A well structured questionnaire was used to obtained primary data while the data obtained were analyzed with the use of simple frequencies and percentages while the relationship between their socioeconomic status and training needs were analyzed with Chi-square statistics. The socio-economic characteristics of the respondents show that 48.3% of the respondents were in the age bracket of 41-50 years, 50% of the respondents attained secondary education and 75% had between 5-10 children meaning that labor supply might be adequate. Farm size showed that 41.7% of the respondents had between 0.5 and 0.6 hectares of farmland and income earning showed that 26.7% of the respondents earn between N 75,000- N 99,000 per annum which is grossly inadequate. However, majority 82.10% of the respondents indicated not having access to extension services while areas of training needs identified include pest and diseases control methods, fertilizer application, fertilizer selection/rate, storage methods and procedure. Preference given to progressive farmers was one of the major factors affecting training needs while age, farm income and farming experience all show significant relationship with training needs. Recommendation was made that extension services should be made available to respondents to improve their farming knowledge and skills through necessary training as well as provision of credit facilities.