challenges of tertiary institutions: the …rocare.org/grants/2011/sl01.pdf · tertiary...
TRANSCRIPT
Programme des subventions ROCARE pour la recherche en éducation /
ERNWACA Research Grants Programme
Edition 2011/2012 edition
CHALLENGES OF TERTIARY INSTITUTIONS: THE IMPLEMENTATION OF RURAL AGRICULTURAL
DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMES IN SIERRA LEONE
Chercheurs/researchers
• Mr. Saffa Barbee Massaquoi
• Mr. Francis Tarawally
• Miss Edna Bangali
Parrain/Mentor :Dr. Joseph B.A. Kandeh
Pays /Country
Sierra Leone
Recherche financée par le
Réseau Ouest et Centre Africain de Recherche en Education (ROCARE)
avec du soutien du projet Centre d’Excellence Régionale UEMOA
et du Ministère des Affaires Etrangères des Pays Bas
----------------------------------------------------------
Research financed by
Education Research Network for West and Central Africa (ERNWACA)
With project support from UEMOA regional Centre of Excellence
and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands
i
ABSTRACT
Tertiary institutions offering agriculture programmes in Sierra Leone perform the roles of teaching, research and service to communities that are characterized by poverty, food insecurity and lack of basic amenities. Graduates from these institutions work as teachers, extension agents and agriculture officers in the communities to implement rural agricultural development programmes. The communities remain underdeveloped even though the institutions continuously produce hundreds of graduates in Agriculture every year. The essence of this research is to investigate why the rural agricultural communities in Sierra Leone remain underdeveloped, even though graduates in Agriculture are produced every year and many of them are employed in the rural communities? The research design is descriptive. The study generated qualitative and quantitative data. The population is 3,089 subjects comprising heads of departments, deans, students and community people. The sample size is 1,022; comprising 882 students; 18 deans and registrars and 125 community people. The study yielded findings which include the following: the programmes offered in the four tertiary education institutions investigated were Ph.D., M.Sc., B.Sc., B.Ed. TC, HTC, HND, OND, Short term in-service encompassing several weeks certificate programmes. Generally, human, financial and materials resources were available but minimally adequate in all the institutions thereby producing graduates with weak practical skills. The programmes offered had low to moderate impact on the lives of people manifested by varying levels of inadequacy/adequacy, accessibility and affordability of food in the communities. As a conclusion that the regions did not have equal or equitable distribution of tertiary agricultural institution and that the institutions did not offer equal numbers and types of programmes. However, each region had at least one tertiary education institution offering agricultural programmes which made tertiary agricultural education accessible to its people. The resources provided by government were grossly inadequate for the operations of the tertiary institutions in the country. Hence inadequate human (academic staff), finance (money for satisfactory salaries) and materials (tractors and other implements) resources posed serious challenges to the tertiary institutions nation-wide. Some recommendations made include: tertiary agricultural institutions should be equitably distributed in all the four regions of the country. Government should allocate sufficient funds to all levels of agricultural institutions for procurement of material resources to enhance successful implementation of agricultural programmes in rural agricultural communities. Adequate academic, supporting and farm technical staff should be employed in the institutions. Sufficient funds should be allocated by government for the operations of tertiary education institutions. Agricultural institutions should maintain demonstration farms for practical purposes.
ii
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
CHAPTER ONE
1.1 Background to the Study … … … … … … … 1
1.1.1 Agriculture in Sub-Saharan Africa … … … … … 1
1.1.2 Agriculture in Sierra Leone … … … … … … 1
1.2 Statement of Problem … … … … … … … 1
1.3 Aims and Objectives … … … … … … … 3
1.4 Hypothesis … … … … … … … … … 3
1.5 Justification of the Study … … … … … … … 5
1.6 Delimitation … … … … … … … … … 6
1.7 Limitation … … … … … … … … … 6
CHAPTER TWO – REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
2.1 Introduction … … … … … … … … … 7
2.2 Agriculture Programmes in Tertiary Institutions … … … 8 2.3 Resource Base of Tertiary Institutions for Rural Agricultural Education / Training … … … … … … … 8 2.4 Relevance of Agricultural Education / Training Programmes In Agricultural Development … … … … … … 9 2.5 Impacts of Tertiary Agricultural Education Programmes in Agricultural Development … … … … … … 10 2.6 Challenges of Tertiary Education Institutions in Performing Their Roles for Rural Agricultural Development … … … 10 2.6.1 Lack of Funding … … … … … … … … 10
iii
2.6.2 Weak Research and Innovation … … … … … … 10 CHAPTER THREE: METHODOLOGY 3.1 Introduction … … … … … … … … … 11 3.2 Study Area … … … … … … … … … 11 3.3 Study Design … … … … … … … … 11 3.4 Population and Sample Size … … … … … … 11 3.5 Sampling Procedure … … … … … … … 12 3.6 Instrumentation … … … … … … … …… 12 3.7 Data Collection … … … … … … … … 13 CHAPTER FOUR: RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS 4.1 Introduction … … … … … … … … … 14 4.2.1 Types of Agriculture Programmes in four Tertiary Institutions … 14 4.2.2 Hypothesis 1 … … … … … … … … 16 4.3 Discussions … … … … … … … … … 17 4.3.1 Tertiary Education Institutions and Types of Agriculture Programmes … … … … … … … … … 17 4.4 Availability of Resources (human, finance and material) … …. 19 4.4.1 Adequacy of Staff in the Four Tertiary Institutions … … … 19 4.4.2 Availability and Adequacy of Teaching and Learning Facilities In Four Tertiary Institutions … … … … … … 21 4.4.3 Availability and Adequacy of Farm Tools … … … … 21
iv
4.4.4 Availability and Adequacy of Animal Input and Basic Amenities 24 4.4.5 Availability of Crop Production Input … … … … 24 4.4.6 Hypothesis 2 … … … … … … … … 26 4.5 Discussions … … … … … … … … … 27 4.5.1 Availability of Resources (human, finance, material) … … 28 4.6 Role of Tertiary Education in Rural Agricultural Development … 29 4.7 Discussions … … … … … … … … … 31 4.7.1 Role of Tertiary Education Institutions in Rural Agricultural Development … … … … … … … … 31 4.8 Challenges of Tertiary Institutions … … … … … 32 4.9 Discussions … … … … … … … … … 33 4.9.1 Challenges of Tertiary Education Institutions … … … 33 4.9.2 Inadequate Facilities in Tertiary Institutions … … … … 34 4.9.3 Weak Research in Tertiary Institutions … … … … 35 4.9.4 Poor Laboratory Facilities … … … … … … 35 4.9.5 Poor Working Environment in Tertiary Institutions … … … 35 4.9.6 Poor Information Communication Technology (ICT) Facilities … 35 4.10 Impact of Agricultural Programmes on Rural Agricultural Communities … … … … … … … … 35 4.11 Discussions ………. ……….. ………… …………. ……… 37 4.11.1 Impacts of Agricultural Programmes on Rural Agricultural Communities… … … … … … … … … 37
v
4.12.1 Relevance of Agricultural Programmes offered in Tertiary Institutions … … … … … … … … … 38 4.12.2 Hypothesis 3 … … … … … … … … 40 4.13 Discussions … … … … … … … … … 41 4.13.1 Relevance of Agricultural Programmes offered in Tertiary Education Institution … … … … … … … 41 CHAPTER FIVE 5.1 Summary of Findings … … … … … … … 42 5.1.1 Types of Agriculture Programmes … … … … … 42 5.1.2 Resources Availability (human, finance and material) … … 42 5.1.2.1 Human Resources … … … … … … … 43 5.1.2.2 Financial Resources … … … … … … … 43 5.1.2.3 Material Resources … … … … … … … 43 5.2.1 The Role of Tertiary Education Institutions in Rural Agriculture Development … … … … … … … … 43 5.2.2.1 Teacher Training … … … … … … … … 43 5.2.2.2 Research … … … … … … … … … 43 5.2.2.3 Teacher In-service Training … … … … … … 44 5.2.3 Challenges of Tertiary Education Institutions … … … 44 5.2.4 Impact of Agricultural Programmes on Rural Agricultural Communities … … … … … … … … 44 5.2.5 Relevance of Agricultural Programmes offered in Tertiary Education Institutions … … … … … … … 45 5.3 Conclusions … … … … … … … … … 45
vi
5.3.1 Types of Agriculture Programmes … … … … … 45 5.3.2 Resource Availability (human, finance, material) … … … 45 5.3.3 Role of Tertiary Education Institutions in Rural Agricultural Development … … … … … … … … 46 5.3.4 Impact of Agricultural Programmes on Rural Agricultural Communities … … … … … … … … 46 5.3.5 Relevance of Agricultural Programmes … … … … 46 5.3.6 Challenges of Tertiary Education Institutions in Delivering Agriculture Programmes … … … … … … … 46 5.4 Recommendations … … … … … … … … 47 5.4.1 Types of Agricultural Programmes … … … … … 47 5.4.2 Availability of Resources (human, finance, material) … … 47 5.4.3 Relevance of Agricultural Programmes … … … … 47 5.4.4 The Role of Tertiary Education Institutions in Rural Agricultural Development … … … … … … 48 5.4.5 Challenges of Tertiary Education Institutions … … … 48 5.4.6 Impacts of Agricultural Programmes on Rural Communities … 48 Suggestions for Further Studies … … … … … … … 49 REFERENCES … … … … … … … … … 50 APPENDICES: TABLES … … … … … … 51 – 59 APPENDICES: QUESTIONNAIRES … … … … … 60 - 70
vii
LIST OF TABLES
Table 1: Agricultural Education Programmes in the four Tertiary Institutions Table 2: Types of Agricultural Programmes offered by Institutions Table 3: Availability of Staff in four Tertiary Institutions Table 4: Adequacy of Staff in the Four Tertiary Education Institutions Table 5: Availability of Teaching and Learning Facilities in the four Tertiary Institutions Table 6: Adequacy of Teaching and Learning Facilities. Table 7: Availability of Farm Tools in the Four Tertiary Institutions Table 8: Animal production Input and Basic Amenities Table 9 Availability of crop inputs Table 10 Main sources of Resources (Human , Finance, Material) Table 11 Roles of Tertiary Institutions in Rural Agricultural Development. Table 12 Impacts of Agricultural Education Programmes on Rural Agriculture Communities Table 13 Relevance of Agricultural Programmes offered in Tertiary Education Institutions Table 14 Challenges of Tertiary Institutions in Rural Agricultural Development
viii
LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 1: Types of Agricultural Programmes offered in Four Tertiary Institutions … … … … … … … … 15 Figure 2: Availability of Teaching and Learning Facilities in Four Tertiary Education Institutions … … … … … 22 Figure 3: Availability of Farm Tools … … … … … 23 Figure 4: Challenges of Tertiary Institutions … … … … 33 Figure 5: Impacts of Agricultural Programmes on Agricultural Communities … .. … … … … … 37 Figure 6: Relevance of Agricultural Programmes Offered in Tertiary Institutions … … … … … … 39
1
CHAPTER ONE
1.1 Background to the Study
1.1.1 Agriculture in Sub-Saharan Africa
Agriculture in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) accounts for about 40% of GDP and 70% of
employment (Ngongi , 2000), and yet SSA is the one regions of the world where the food supply
situation continues to worsen as population grows. In the rest of the world, food supply has been
increasing faster than population for a decade or more. The reverse is true for Sub-Saharan
Africa. Sixteen of the eighteen most under nourished countries in the world are in Africa (FAO,
2005).
1.1.2 Agriculture in Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone is a small country of 28,000 square miles (74,000 Km3) and lies on the South West
coast of West Africa with a population of five million (National Census Report, 2004). In 1961
and 1971, Sierra Leone gained independence and a republican status respectively.
The backbone of the country’s economy is Agriculture. About eighty (80%) of the people in the
country are involved in Agriculture. Although many people are involved in farming, the country
remains food in secured as subsistence farming is practised in the rural agricultural communities.
The research titled “Challenges faced by tertiary education institutions in the implementation of
rural agriculture in Sierra Leone” seeks to examine the challenges tertiary education institutions
face as they perform their roles in the implementation of rural agricultural development in the
country. The rural agricultural communities continue to be underdeveloped even though the
tertiary institutions offering agricultural programmes provide graduates who are employed in the
rural agricultural communities. These institutions are confronted with wide and varied challenges
that impede the implementation of rural agricultural development. These challenges include but
not limited to the following: a) inadequate funding to the institutions, b) relevance of agricultural
programmes, c) insufficient academic and support staff, d) deteriorating infrastructure, e) brain
drain, f) weak research in tertiary institutions, g) insufficient supply of water and electricity.
Government of Sierra Leone, non governmental organisations (NGO) and private organisations
are the main employers of agricultural graduates in the country. The ultimate aim of the
2
employers is to effect the implementation of rural agricultural development through the
agriculture graduates. This aim has not been achieved as a result of aforementioned challenges.
1.2 Statement of Problem
For several decades, since the attainment of independence, rural agriculture in Sierra Leone has
remained underdeveloped despite the role of tertiary education institutions in training human
resources and providing necessary outreach services for agricultural productivity and
development. This problem has captured the interest of the researchers for investigation. There
is a possibility that the status of educational infrastructure, knowledge and skills capacity
building, services extended to rural areas, research output from tertiary institutions, types of
programmes, staff quality and size, funding levels to tertiary institutions and other variables
account for the lack of agricultural development in the country, especially in the rural
agricultural communities.
According to Atchoerena, and Keith (2004), the problems facing higher educational institutions
in Africa include:
� Poor human and material resources.
� Inadequate funding to tertiary institutions.
� Inadequate facilities to match up with the increase in enrolment in tertiary
institutions.
� Brain drain from tertiary institutions
Higher agricultural education world-wide is faced with key challenges. In Sierra Leone, these
challenges influence the development of the rural agricultural communities, which
developmental aspirations constitute a concern to the government and non-governmental
organizations. It is against this background that the researchers are interested in providing
answers to the following questions:
3
� Are tertiary institutions offering agricultural programmes that are relevant to rural
agricultural development?
� What major roles are the tertiary institutions in Sierra Leone playing in order to
improve rural agriculture?
� Are the resources (human, finance, materials) adequate in the tertiary institutions
for them to perform their roles in the development of rural agriculture in Sierra
Leone?
� What impacts have the agricultural programmes offered in tertiary education
institutions had on the rural agricultural development?
The above questions reflect problems of interest to the researchers. These inherent
issues should be addressed if Sierra Leone is to develop a vibrant and competitive
tertiary education for economic growth.
1.3 Aims and Objectives
The general aim of this study is to identify and discuss the challenges and associated
circumstances faced by tertiary education institutions delivering agriculture programmes in
contributing to rural agricultural development in Sierra Leone.
The specific research objectives are to
1. identify the types of agricultural programmes that are offered in tertiary institutions in
Sierra Leone. 2. identify and assess the resources (human, finance, materials) available in tertiary
institutions in the implementation of rural agricultural development programmes in Sierra
Leone.
3. examine the roles of tertiary education institutions in the implementation of rural
agricultural development in Sierra Leone.
4. identify the challenges of tertiary institutions in the implementation of rural agricultural
development Sierra Leone.
5. assess stakeholder’s perceived impacts of agricultural programmes offered in tertiary
education institutions on the development of rural agriculture programmes in Sierra Leone.
6. assess the relevance of agricultural programmes offered in tertiary education institutions in
the implementation of rural agricultural development programmes in Sierra Leone.
4
4.1 Hypothesis
1. Tertiary institutions in the four regions of Sierra Leone are comparatively not
offering equal numbers of types of agricultural programmes.
H0: U1 ≠ U2 ≠ U3 ≠ U4
2. There are no significant differences among the stakeholders on their perceptions of
the resources (human, finance, material) available in the tertiary institutions at
regional levels in performing their roles for rural agricultural development in the four
regions.
H0: U1 ≠ U2 ≠ U3 ≠ U4
3 There are no significant differences in stakeholders’ perceptions of the relevance of
agricultural programmes offered in tertiary education institutions for rural agricultural
development among the four regions of Sierra Leone.
H0: U1 ≠ U2 ≠ U3 ≠ U4
5
Conceptual Frame work
Conceptual Frame work
Research
SELECTED TERTIARY EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS IN SIERR A LEONE OFFERING AGRICULTURAL PROGRAMMES
Graduates Extension Agents
Impact / Effect
Rural Agricultural Development
Service
Teaching
ROLE
Rural Agriculture underdeveloped
Poverty/No amenities
Food Insecurity
6
1.5 Justification of the Study
This study will identify all the tertiary institutions offering agriculture programmes in Sierra
Leone. The locations of these institutions will also be identified. The result of the investigation
would be used to increase awareness among government officials, students and the entire Sierra
Leone population about the tertiary institutions that offer agriculture programmes.
By examining the roles of tertiary institutions, stakeholders in education would use the relevant
results to determine and design agricultural programmes for the development of rural agricultural
communities. Such programmes would help empower rural agricultural communities for
agricultural production systems for developing food security.
In assessing the resource base of the tertiary education institutions, this study would reveal to
heads and other stakeholders the types and levels of the resources available for effective running
of tertiary institutions. Officials of the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology will use
the findings from this research for decisions on allocation of resources (human, finance, and
materials) to tertiary institutions in the country. The result of this research will also guide the
stakeholders as to whether the resources provided are adequate for effective utilization.
The result from the investigation of this research will also reveal the challenges encountered by
tertiary institutions in performing their roles for rural agricultural development.
1.6 Delimitation
This study was focused on tertiary institutions offering agriculture programme in Sierra Leone.
Tertiary institutions that are not offering agriculture programmes were not investigated.
1.7 Limitation
The researchers encountered a few challenges such as getting information in time from deans and
registrars.
7
CHAPTER TWO
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
2.1 Introduction
This chapter presents a review of related literature to the study. In consonant with the objectives
of this study, this review was divided into the following sections:
� Agriculture programmes in tertiary institutions.
� Roles of tertiary education institutions in rural agricultural development.
� Resource base of tertiary education institutions for rural agricultural education/
training.
� Relevance of agricultural education/training programmers offered by tertiary
institutions.
� Impacts of tertiary agricultural education programmers on agricultural development.
� Challenges of tertiary institutions in performing their roles for rural agricultural
development.
2.2 Agriculture Programs in Tertiary Institutions.
In Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) universities and other agricultural tertiary education institutions
have made significant contributions to the development of agriculture. It is however widely
agreed that these institutions have been slow to respond effectively to the changing socio-
economic development needs of the sub-region (Chakeredza et al., 2008). The realignment of
universities to national, regional and global development agenda demands a paradigm shift in the
mode of training, especially at postgraduate level where high calibre expertise needs to be
groomed to guide policy and relevant research and general development vision for the region
(Eicher, 2006).
8
Higher agricultural education is a branch of education that trains high quality agronomists and
technicians to carry out agricultural research, and social development through extension
activities (An Ning 2000). ). This training is carried out in recognized tertiary education
institutions in developed and developing countries. The crucial functions of universities and
colleges in developing countries are to provide professionals and make available highly
specialized education to a country’s population. Atchoarena (2006) stated that beyond its
traditional roles, i.e. research, and teaching, universities have an opportunity in cooperation with
other stakeholders, to enrich and support other levels of education with critical knowledge and
information on agricultural and natural resource issues. The latter contribution can be of key
importance in the pursuit of sustainable rural development poverty reduction and food security
Maguire (2000) asserted that African universities are primary source of human capital for
agricultural research agencies as well as the source of future academic staff members. The
agricultural universities in Africa are the logical places to house expertise to provide education
for undergraduate and post-graduate students, advise policy-makers and inform societies at large
(Maguire 2000) .
Tertiary institutions have been established in Sierra Leone since 1827 ( Alghali et. al. 2005).
These include Fourah Bay College (1827) (now the University of Sierra Leone), Njala University
College (1964) (now Njala University), Milton Margai Training College (1963) (Now Milton
Margai College of Education), Northern Polytechnic (2001), Eastern Polytechnic (2001) . Port
Loko Teachers College (1968) and Freetown Teachers College (1964). With the exception of
Fourah Bay College, all the institutions listed above offer agriculture programmes.
2.3 Resource Base of Tertiary Institutions for Rural Agricultural Education/ Training.
Crowder et. al., 2000, asserts that the major source of funding and financial support for
agricultural education in most developing countries is the national government. Generally,
agricultural education institutions operate on the basis of an annual budget which depends on the
number of students enrolled, previous funding levels and government capacity to support the
institutions. Tuition fees, and other possible sources of income, such as donations, and
institutional revenue from farms or the provision of various kinds of services (e.g. Veterinary
9
services) are often of limited significance (Crowder et, al., 2000). Crowder et. al., further argued
that agricultural education is expensive. It requires teaching aids and materials, scientific and
technical equipment to facilitate training in the institutions and experimental farms.
2.4 Relevance of Agricultural Education/Training Programmes Offered in Tertiary Institution.
Crowder et. al., 2000 opined that improving employment opportunities for graduates requires
that curricula focus less on specific technical knowledge that will quickly become obsolete and
more on processes and abilities of students to think and solve problems that are relevant to
societal needs. Crowder et. al., further argued that students should learn skills and abilities that
are transferable to a wider range of occupations.
Aissetou and Madakadza , 2002 stated that institutions are struggling with curricula that are
often absolute, outdated and lack local relevance. Existing curriculum often lacks dynamism,
practicality and fails to inspire and engage learners. There is a serious need for continual
improvement of curricular to make it not only more robust, relevant but responsive to the
agricultural needs of the economy. Maguire (2000) argued that thirty years ago, participants at
the world conference on Agricultural Education and Training stressed the importance of
technical level manpower that should be adequately trained to meet the challenges of rural
agricultural development in sub Sahara Africa. The observations made are still relevant. The
people who receive intermediate training will be working essentially in the field, laboratories,
workshops and in storage and processing plants and perform community services, rather than in
predominantly clerical duties. In many countries, rural development is seriously hampered by
the shortage of adequately trained people at intermediate level. The supply of technicians is
from Polytechnics, Colleges or other tertiary institutions, which offer diploma (non degree) or
certificate programmes that produce a person with the theoretical and practical background and
skills to enter an agribusiness situation with confidence and success. (Maguire 2000 ).
6
10
2.5 Impacts of Tertiary Agricultural Education Programm es on Agricultural Development
In most colleges and universities curricula and teaching methods and tools often have been
developed that are not relevant to the development objectives of individual countries needs of
farmers and the labour market in general (World Bank 2007). A study carried out by
Uduakobong et al., (2010) in Nigeria revealed that university students in Nigeria are poorly
trained with loped –sided curriculum which had more of theory than practical work. Uduakobong
et al., opined that the structure of Nigerian curricula is defective and the evils of these defects are
manifested in the curricula products which are the graduates especially for the engineering and
agriculture programmes. Most university graduates lack professional skills. As a result a good
number of them remain unemployed or non functional in the society (Uduakobong et al., 2010).
2.6 Challenges of Tertiary Education Institution in Performing Their Roles for Rural Agricultural Development
Aissetou and Madakadza (2002), affirmed that frequently mentioned challenges in Africa tertiary
institutions include; lack of natural funding brain drain due to lack of incentives, weak teaching
capacity and quality and relevance of education.
2.6.1 Lack of Funding
Most universities in Africa receive very little support from their national governments. This
usually covers undergraduate programmes with very little support for post-graduate students.
2.6.2 Weak Research and Innovation
Aissetou and Madakadza (2002) argued that very little research takes place in tertiary institutions
in Africa and that much of the research that takes place at African universities is of an academic
nature and pay little attention to the utility of results. Atchoarena (2006) asserts that Higher
Agricultural Education (HAE) is experiencing serious problems that impact on the quality of
education provided and brings into questions the relevance of the programmes offered. Issues of
concern include inadequate funding, poor infrastructure the declining quality of research and
teaching and low faculty morale.
11
CHAPTER THREE
METHODOLOGY
3.1 Introduction
This chapter describes the research methodology adopted for this study. The chapter describes (1) the study area, (2) the research design, (3) study population, (4) sampling technique, (5) instrumentation (6) data collection procedure, and (7) the techniques used for data analysis. The limitations of the study are also discussed.
3.2 Study Area
The study was conducted in cities and towns where the institutions under investigations were
located country wide. Njala University is located at Njala and Bo referred to as the campuses of
Njala and Bo respectively. Eastern Polythnic is located in Kenema, Milton Margai College of
Education in Godrich, Freetown Teachers College in Freetown, and the Northern Polythnic in
Makeni. Freetown is the capital city of Sierra Leone. Bo is the second largest city of Sierra
Leone. The city is located in the southern part of the country. Kenema, the third largest city of
the country is situated in the eastern part of Sierra Leone and Makeni is in the northern part of
the country
3.3 Study Design
The study was based on qualitative and quantitative approaches to collect primary data from
focus group discussions and self completed questionnaires. The design of this study/research is
descriptive, which makes use of descriptive statistics such as frequencies and percentages to
analyze data and to report the study findings.
3.4 Population and Sample size
The population of the study included deans, heads of departments, registrars, students of tertiary
institutions offering agriculture programmes and the community people where the tertiary
institutions are situated. This comprised four tertiary agricultural education institutions situated
in the four regions of Sierra Leone. The total population is estimated as 3089 comprising heads
of departments, deans, registrars, students and community people. The sample size is 1025;
comprising 882 students, 18 deans and registrars and 125 community people.
12
3.5 Sampling Procedure
A census study of deans and heads of departments in the tertiary educational institutions cluster
sampled was made. A purposive sample of community people in the location of each tertiary
institution was selected to participate in the study since its population is unknown.
In the western area and northern region two institutions were selected; one from each region
among seven tertiary educational institutions offering agriculture programs in the regions using a
cluster sampling technique. The names of the institutions in the four regions were written on
pieces of papers, the papers were mixed together and one was selected among the lots. This
method was used to select the two institutions in the Western and Northern regions; one from
each region. Eastern Polytechnic in the east of the country and Njala University from the south
were purposively selected as they are the major tertiary educational institutions offering
agricultural programmes at higher level in these regions.
Using Krejcre and Morgan’s (1970) table the sample size from a known population were
selected.
3.6 Instrumentation
In order to elicit information pertinent to the investigation, the researchers developed questionnaires guided by the use of the objective of the study. The instruments were designed bearing in mind that they elicit exactly the type and quality of data that were required; that is the researchers ensured that the questionnaires developed were valid and reliable. The questionnaires were first validated by a panel of experts from the Department of Agricultural Education, Njala University and were pilot tested for reliability with a selected sample of respondents in private tertiary education institutions offering agricultural programmes in the country. The researchers trained enumerators to assist with the collection of data from the respondents. Information was sought from people through focus group discussion in the communities where the tertiary institutions offering agricultural programmes are located. The focus group discussion was developed to elicit information about the relevance and impacts of agricultural programmes on the rural agricultural communities where the tertiary institutions under investigation are located. The researchers probed into the communities involvement in agriculture; the types of agricultural programmes and practices undertaken by the communities; income generating activities within the locality, level of knowledge acquired from the tertiary education institutions and the usefulness of the knowledge they had acquired in the implementation of rural agricultural development.
13
3.7 Data Collection
Questionnaires were used to collect data from the study sample in the study area. The
questionnaires were administered to college administrators (deans, registrars) , students and the
community people. The respondents were given a period of time to complete the questionnaires.
The researchers and the enumerators also conducted personal interviews with the study sample
selected from the study population in the locations of the tertiary agricultural education
institutions. Focus group discussions were conducted among homogeneous sub- sample
population which included chiefs, men and women’s leaders; youths and religious leaders in
each of the four regions. The discussions, which lasted for one hour in every region, was
conducted around a conference table, in a sitting room atmosphere. Audio recording facilities
were available at the centres where the focus group discussion took place in the four regions
3.8 Data Analysis
The Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) was used to analyze the data. Descriptive
and inferential statistics were used to report the findings. Pearson’s chi – squared test was used to
test the null hypothesis.
14
CHAPTER FOUR
RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS
4.1 Introduction
This chapter presents the analysis of data, the results and discussions of findings. The results are
presented mainly in tables and graphs describing the relevant variables which tertiary institutions
faced as challenges in performing educational roles that are of potential influence to rural
agricultural development in Sierra Leone.
The researcher concentrated on analyzing and discussing data on the following variables as prescribed in the objectives of the study:
� Types of agriculture programs offered in tertiary institutions,
� Resources available ( human and finance material) in tertiary education institutions,
� Role of tertiary education institutions in the implementation of rural agricultural
development,
� Challenges identified by tertiary education institutions in the delivery of relevant
agricultural programs,
� Impacts of agricultural programs,
� Relevance of agricultural programs offered in tertiary education institutions.
Also the researchers discussed relevant issues and their implications from the findings.
4.2.1 Types of Agriculture Programmes in Four Tertiary Institutions
The types of agriculture programmes offered were Ph.D., M. Sc., B. Sc., B. Ed., HTC, TC, HND,
and OND. Short term in-service and several weeks certificate programmes were also offered in
these institutions. The researchers observed that 100% of deans responded that M.Sc, and Ph.D.
Programs were offered at Njala University, while 100% responded in the negative for Milton
Margai College of Education and Northern and Eastern Polytechnics. One hundred percent
responded that B.Sc. and B.Ed programs were offered at Njala University. A similar percentage
claimed that B.Sc. program was not offered at Milton Margai College of Education.
Furthermore 100% of the respondents indicated that B.Sc and B.Ed Agriculture programs were
offered at Northern and Eastern Polytechnics. One hundred percent of the respondents indicated
15
that Higher Teachers Certificate (HTC) and Teachers Certificate (TC) programs were offered at
the Northern and Eastern Polytechnics while 83.3% stated that the programs were offered at
Njala University. However, 100% responded that Teachers Certificate (TC) programs were not
offered at Milton Margai College of Education. Furthermore, the data revealed that Ordinary
National Diploma (OND) and Higher National Diploma (HND) agriculture programs were
offered at Northern and Eastern polytechnics, while 33.3% indicated that the programs were
offered at Njala University. One hundred percent responded that Higher National Diploma
(HND) agriculture programs were not offered at Milton Margai College of Education while a
similar percentage claimed that Ordinary National Diploma (OND) agriculture programmes were
offered at the college. Several weeks’ in-service training and certificate programs were offered in
all the tertiary education institutions in the four regions.
Figure 1. Types of Agricultural Programs Offered by Four Institutions
16
4.2.2 Hypothesis 1 Types of Agriculture Programmes
The first hypothesis which deals with the number of programmes offered in tertiary education
institutions states that; “the tertiary education institutions in the four regions of Sierra Leone are
statistically different in their numbers of types of agriculture programmes offering”.
Ho: U1 ≠ U2 ≠ U3 ≠ U4
The study revealed that ‘the tertiary education institutions in the four regions of Sierra Leone are
statistically different in their numbers of types of agricultural programs offering.
The agricultural programmes offered in the tertiary institutions in the four regions as revealed by
the study were:
Table 1: Agricultural Education Programs in the Four Regions.
REGIONS Number of
Types of
Agriculture
Programs
South
Njala
University
North
Northern
Polytechnic
East
Eastern
Polytechnic
West
M.M.C.E.T
X2
Number
of
Programs
9
6
6
3
2.217
The findings of the study as evident from the data available confirm that the tertiary education
institutions in the four regions did not offer equal number of types of Agriculture programmes.
In order to reject or accept the stated hypotheses the researchers sought chi square statistics using
the critical value in the chi square and table value. The degree of freedom is 3. The alpha value is
0.05. Hence the critical table value is 7.815. The calculated chi- square is 2.217. The chi- square
is found to be less than the table value. ie 2.217< 7.815. Since the chi- square is less than the
critical table value ie 2.217 < 7.815, the decision is not to reject the null hypothesis. Therefore,
there is no sufficient evidence to reject the claim that tertiary education institutions in the four
regions are comparatively not offering equal number and types of programs. The researchers
17
therefore confirm that tertiary education institutions in the four regions did not offer equal
number of types agricultural programmes.
4.3 Discussion of Findings of Objective 1: identify the tertiary education institutions and the
types of agricultural programmes that are offered in Sierra Leone.
4.3.1 Tertiary Education Institutions and Types of Agricultural Programmes.
According to An Ning (1998), higher agricultural education is a branch of education that trains
high quality agronomists and technicians to carry out agricultural research and social
development. This training is carried out in colleges and universities. The tertiary education
institutions in Sierra Leone have operated in a similar way as expressed by the author. They
offer agricultural programmes for teaching as well as technical and vocational agricultural
professions. The researchers explored the programming situations to unravel the implication for
rural development in Sierra Leone The discussion presents analytical perspective for the
discoveries on types of Agricultural programmes.
The graduates from these institutions have found employment in the Ministry of Agriculture,
tertiary education institutions, secondary schools, and state operated enterprises and other
government, nongovernment and private functionaries.
Njala University is the only tertiary education institution that offers M.Sc. and P.hD.
Programmes in Agriculture in the country. The institution has contributed to the development of
man power requirement for the development of rural agricultural communities and the nation in
general. Some of the graduates work in Higher Educational Institutions as lecturers and
administrators. They further train teachers and extension workers some of whom are employed to
work in the rural agricultural communities. The teachers teach Agriculture Science in the rural
agricultural communities. They are expected to impart the knowledge they have acquired to
learners. The rural agricultural communities can certainly develop if graduates implement the
knowledge and skills they acquire.
The M.Sc. and Ph.D. programmes in Agriculture were introduced at Njala University about
about ten years ago. Prior to the introduction of these programs, students pursued Agriculture
programs outside the country. It is very expensive for the students and at the same time social
18
problems were created for them as they left their families to study abroad. The introduction of
these programmes at Njala helps to reduce the burden on students who would have to spend huge
amount of money to pursue these programmes out side the country. Also having these
programmes in the curriculum at Njala University does not only minimize social problems faced
by students while studying abroad but allow them to pursue these programs while engaged in full
time employment in the country. However, there are only a few M.Sc. and Ph.D. agriculture
programs that have not been factored into the curriculum of the university. Most students go to
other countries to pursue them at a very exorbitant cost.
The programmes Higher National Diploma (HND) and Ordinary National Diploma (OND) are
offered in all the tertiary education institutions in the country. However, the programs are only
offered at Njala campus in the case of Njala University
The Teachers Certificate (TC), and Higher Teachers Certificate (HTC), programmes were
offered at Bo campus only in the case of Njala University. The major tertiary education
institutions in the country are offering B.Sc., B. Ed., HTC, and TC Programs. The introduction of
these programs in all the tertiary education institutions has given opportunity to many Sierra
Leoneans to study at higher levels. The institutions also offer several weeks’ certificate programs
and short term in-service courses for untrained and unqualified teachers. Some of these teachers
did not have the opportunity to be enrolled in the tertiary institutions to acquire the requisite
qualifications for teaching positions. Offering several weeks training programs for untrained and
qualified teachers will build their capacities for effective use of their delivery methodologies.
Also the tertiary institutions organize short term in-service courses to refresh qualified teachers
who had graduated from tertiary education institutions many years ago with current issues and
modern methodology in teaching. Such training improves their level of education which will
positively impact on the development of rural agricultural communities.
It was stated in focus group discussions by elders including chiefs, some of whom are graduates
from the tertiary education institutions that some agricultural programs offered in the institutions
are not relevant to rural agricultural development. For example programs such as Agricultural
Engineering drawing and Carpentry should be revised to make them relevant to rural agricultural
development.
19
4.4 Availability of Resource (human, finance and material)
The data in Table 3 (appendix) revealed the responses of deans and registrars in terms of
availability of resources in the tertiary institutions at regional level. One hundred percent
(100%) of respondents indicated that administrative and academic staffs were available in the
four tertiary education institutions. Also a similar percentage of the respondents claimed that
supporting staff and farm assistants for servicing agricultural programmes were available in the
institutions.
4.4.1 Adequacy of Staff in the Four Tertiary Institutions
Table 4 illustrates the adequacy of staff in the four tertiary institutions. Fifty percent (50%) of
the respondents indicated that administrative staff was highly adequate at Njala University while
100% indicated that they were highly adequate at Eastern Polytechnics. One hundred percent
(100%) of the respondents indicated minimally adequate at Northern Polytechnic (Table4).
20
TABLE 4
ADEQUACY OF STAFF IN THE FOUR TERTIARY EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS
NJALA UNIVERSITY
N=6
NORTHERN POLYTECHNIC
N=4
EASTERN POLYTECHNIC
N=4
M.M.C.E.T
N=4
STAFF
Highly
adequate
Moderately
adequate
Minimally
adequate
Highly
adequate
Moderately
adequate
Minimally
adequate
Highly
adequate
Moderatel
y adequate
Minimally
adequate
Highly
adequate
Moderately
adequate
Minimally
adequate
Administrative
staff 50.0% 33.3% 16.7% 0% 0% 100% 50% 50% 0% 50% 50% 0%
Academic
staff 33.3% 33.3% 33.3% 0% 0% 100% 50% 50% 0% 25% 50.0% 25.0%
Supporting
staff for
serving
agricultural
programmes
33.3% 16.7% 50.0% 0% 0% 100% 0% 100% 0% 25% 50% 25%
Farm
Assistants
from
servicing
16.7% 33.3% 50.0% 0% 0% 100% 0% 100% 0% 25% 25% 50%
21
4.4.2 Availability and Adequacy Teaching and Learning Facilities in Four Tertiary Institution.
The frequencies and percentages of the availability of teaching and learning facilities at the institutions are depicted in Figure 2
Classroom Spaces
One hundred percent (100%) of the deans claimed that classroom spaces were available in the
four tertiary education institutions investigated. The researchers observed that 97.4 % of the
students in all the four sample institutions investigated indicated that classroom spaces were
available in their respective institutions.
Library
One hundred percent (100%) of the deans stated that library facilities were available at Eastern
Polytechnics while 80.0% claimed that these facilities were available at Njala University. Also
92.9% of the students in the tertiary education institutions investigated claimed that library
facilities were available in all the tertiary education institutions.
Computer
One hundred percent of the deans and registrars claimed that computer facilities were available
at Eastern Polytechnic. Eighty and seventy five percent (80% and 75%) indicated that these
facilities were available at Njala University and Milton Margai College of Education
respectively.
In terms of adequacy 100% of the respondents revealed that classroom spaces were moderately
adequate at Eastern and Northern Polytechnics. Also 20.0% and 75.0% of the respondents
indicated that classroom spaces at Njala University and Milton Margai College of Education
were highly and moderately adequate respectively (Table10 appendix ).
22
Figure 2 Availability of Teaching and learning Facilities in Four Tertiary Education
Institution.
4.4.3 Availability and Adequacy of Farm Tools
Table 7 (appendix) and Figure 3 further depict the availability and adequacy of farm tools at the
four tertiary education institutions under investigation. One hundred percent of the respondents
indicated that cutlasses, hoes, shovels watering cans were available in all the tertiary education
institution in the four regions. However the level of adequacy of the tools ranges from 20%
highly adequate, 50% moderately adequate and 100.0% minimally adequate in all the tertiary
education institutions that were investigated.
23
Figure 3. Availability of Farm Tools
24
4.4.4 Availability of Animal Production Inputs and Basic Amenities
Table 8 illustrates the availability of animal inputs and basic amenities in four tertiary institutions
under investigation. One hundred percent (100%) of the respondents who were deans and
registrars revealed that pig pen, water and electricity were available at Njala University.
The same percentage indicated that pig pen, ruminants, and poultry were available at Northern
and Eastern Polytechnics (Table 8).
25
Table 8 : AVAILABILITY OF ANIMAL PRODUCTION INPUTS AND BASIC AMENITIES
INSTITUTIONS ANIMAL INPUT
AMENITIES
NJALA UNIVERSITY NORTHERN POLYTECHNIC EASTERN POLYTECHNICS MILTON MARGAI COLLEGE
Available Not
available
Available Not
available
Available Not
available
Available Not
available
Pig pen 100% 0% 0% 100% 0% 100% 100% 0%
Poultry house 50% 50% 0% 100% 0% 100% 0% 100%
Ruminants 50% 50% 0% 100% 0% 100% 0% 100%
Poultry 50% 50% 0% 100% 0% 100% 0% 100%
Feeders 50% 50% 0% 100% 0% 100% 0% 100%
Waterers 50% 50% 0% 100% 0% 100% 0% 100%
Incubator 50% 50% 0% 100% 0% 100% 0% 100%
Disinfectants 50% 50% 0% 100% 0% 100% 0% 100%
Electricity 100% 0% 100% 0% 100% 0% 100% 0%
Water 100% 0% 100% 0% 100% 0% 100% 0%
26
4.4.5 Availability of Crop Production Input
Table 9 illustrates the availability of crop production input in the four tertiary education
institution offering agricultural programmes according to responses from deans and registrars.
Eighty percent (80%) of respondents at Njala University, 75% at Northern Polytechnic, 100% at
Eastern Polytechnic and 75% at Milton Margai College of Education indicated that planting
materials were not available in the respective institutions. However, the the crop production
inputs, were minimally adequate in all the institutions where they were available.
Table 9: Availability of Crop Production Inputs
INSTITUTIONS
CROP
PRODUCTION
INPUT
NJALA UNIVERSITY
n=5
NORTHERN
POLYTECHNIC
n=4
EASTERN
POLYTECHNICS
n=4
MILTON MARGAI
COLLEGE
n=4
Avalability Available Not
available
Available Not
available
Available Not
available
Available Not
available
Planting
materials
20% 80% 0% 75% 0% 100% 25% 75%
Fertilizers 20% 80% 25% 75% 25% 75% 25% 75%
Insecticides 20% 80% 25% 75% 25% 75% 25% 75%
Pesticides 2o% 80% 25% 75% 25% 75% 25% 75%
Fungicides 20% 80% 25% 75% 25% 75% 25% 75%
27
4.4.6 Hypotheses 2 (Perceptions about Sources of Resources)
Ho: There is no significant difference in stakeholders’ perceptions of the sources of resources
available (human, finance and material) in tertiary education institutions at regional level in
performing their role for rural agricultural development.
Table 10: Main Source of Resources (Human, Finance, Material)
Resources From Sierra Leone Government
Human Material Finance
INSTITUTIONS
f % f % f %
Eastern
polytechnic
3 100 3 100 3 100
Northern
Polytechnic
4 100 4 100 4 100
Milton margai
College of edu.
4 100 4 100 4 100
Njala
University
6 100 6 100 6 100
In order to reject or accept the stated hypotheses the researchers sought chi-square using the
critical value in the chi-square and table value. The degree of freedom (df) is 6, and alpha value
is 0.05, the table value is 12.59, The calculated chi –square is 9.98. The chi- square calculated is
less than the table value; that is (9.98 < 12.59).
Therefore, the decision is not to reject the null hypotheses which states “that there is no
significant difference in stakeholders’ perceptions of the sources of resources available in tertiary
education institutions offering agricultural programs at regional level for performing their roles
for rural agricultural development”.
The perceptions of stakeholders is that even though government is the main source of resources
(human, materials and finance) for running tertiary education institutions offering agricultural
programs in the four regions, other sources include students (fees) business donors, non
governmental organizations (NGOs) and educational organizations.
28
4.5 Discussions of Findings for Objective 2: identify and assess the resources (human,
finance, and materials available in tertiary institutions for the implementation of rural
agricultural development programmes in Sierra Leone.
4.5.1 Availabilit y of Resources (human, finance material,)
In any organization or institution, there must be an administrative staff that should have the
capacity and ability to combine the various factors of production in order to maximize
production and performance, in this case effective learning outcome. The findings on resource
availability in the four tertiary education institutions revealed that 100% of the respondents
indicated that administrative and academic staffs were available in the four tertiary institutions.
These were charged with the responsibilities of executing administrative and academic duties.
Some administrative structures were put in place to coordinate and direct all resources for
enhancing efficient and effective teaching and learning experiences in the institutions. Though
academic staff were available, they were minimally adequate for all the institutions. The
inadequacy of the academic staff means effective service delivery could not take place in the
institutions. This negatively reflects on the effectiveness of teaching and learning. The quality
of teaching and learning delivery could be low because the work load of some staff members is
increased. This situation results into poor performance of the lecturers. This deters the
acquisition of knowledge and skills the students require which enable them to be gainfully
employed upon completion of their programmes.
The study further revealed that there were shortages of supporting staff and farm assistants for
servicing agricultural programs. The deans and students in the institutions concerned affirmed
this. The study further reveals that 100% of the respondents indicated that supporting staff and
farm assistants for servicing agricultural programmes were minimally adequate in all the
institutions. Serious shortages of supporting staff and farm assistance for servicing agricultural
programs dampen the acquisition of practical skills for the students. Agriculture is a practical
subject; the farm assistants are the key collaborating architects in effective practical training of
students. The farm assistants and farm technical staff help the students to acquire agriculture
practical skills and experience for self-reliant, the world of work and sustainable agricultural
production.
29
By all indicators observed the material resources for farm mechanics, learning resource centers,
farm tools, and animal and crop production units were available but inadequate in the four
tertiary education institutions. Besides the classroom space, which 100% of the total respondents
claimed to be adequate, all other resource materials for practical teaching and learning
agriculture were rated as minimally adequate in the institutions. For instance farm tools, science
laboratories, computer facilities, library, agro-chemicals and farm animals were all rated as
minimally adequate in all the tertiary education institutions.
One of the main objectives of agricultural institutions is to develop and produce skilled
manpower for sustainable agricultural production to enhance self-reliance and national
development. Successful achievement of this objective requires a lot of resources to be
accessible to all agricultural institutions. This objective also requires the acquisition of skills by
students through practical activities on land laboratory.
The inadequacies of science and land laboratory facilities indicate that practical classes were
hardly conducted. This implies that lecturers concentrated more on the theory aspects in their
delivery of subject matter than practical lessons, producing graduates who lack practical skills
and knowledge.
The finances to run the affairs of the institution were minimally adequate. The heads of the
tertiary institutions need to improve on the infrastructure, seek the welfare of administrative,
academic and supporting staff and rehabilitate the existing structure as enrollment continues to
increase annually in the tertiary education institutions in the four regions; for successful
implementation, adequate finance should be available to the institutions. It appears the budget
allocated for the management of these institutions is minimal. As a result the heads of these
institutions found it extremely difficult to manage the affairs of the institutions.
4. 6 Role of Tertiary Education Institutions in Rural Agricultural Development
The data in Table 11 revealed the responses of deans and registrars in relations to the roles of
tertiary institutions in rural agricultural development (Table 11).
TABLE 11: ROLES OF TERTIARY INSTITUTIONS IN RURAL AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT
30
I N S T I T U T I O N S / R E G I O N
SOUTHERN
REGION
NJALA UNIVERSITY
n=6
NORTHERN
REGION
NORTHER
POLYTECHNIC
n=4
EASTERN REGION
EASTERN
POLYTECHNIC
n=4
WESTERN REGION
M.M.C.E.T
n=4
No
Roles of Tertiary Education Institutions
Yes No Yes No Yes No Yes No
1 Teachers trained in the discipline of Agric. Education 100% 0% 75% 25% 100% 0% 100% 0%
2 Teachers trained in the discipline of Agric. General 66.7% 33.3% 50% 50% 100% 0% 100% 0%
3 Teachers trained in the area of Animal Science 100.0% 0% 75% 25% 75% 25% 100% 0%
4 Teachers trained in the area of crop production 100.0% 0% 25.0% 75.0% 75% 25% 100% 0%
5 Teacher trained in the area of soil science 100.0% 0% 75.0% 25% 75% 25% 100% 0%
6 Lecturers carry out research 16.6% 83.3% 75.0% 25% 75% 25% 50% 50%
7 Research results disseminated to rural agricultural communities 0% 100% 25% 75.0% 75% 25% 0% 100%
8 Extension workers trained in research 66.6% 33.3% 25.0% 75.0% 75% 25% 25.0% 75%
9 Conduct in-service training for community people 16.6% 83.3% 25% 75.0% 75% 25% 50% 50%
10 Conduct in-service training teachers 66.7% 33.3% 100% 0% 75% 25% 50% 50%
11 Provide training facilities in crop production 100% 0% 25% 75.0% 75% 25% 100% 0%
12 Provide training facilities in animal production 100% 0% 75% 25% 75% 25% 100% 0%
13 Teachers trained for the communities 100% 0% 25% 75.0% 0% 100% 100% 0%
14 Provide training based upon ruminant production 50% 50% 0% 100% 75% 25% 25.0% 75.0%
M.M.C.E.T Milton Margai College of Education and Technology
31
4.7 Discussions for Objective 3: Examine the roles of tertiary education institutions in the
implementation of rural agricultural development in Sierra Leone.
4.7.1 Role of Tertiary Education Institutions in Rural Agricultural Development
One of the Principal roles of the universities is to produce graduates to work in the rural and
urban areas in many fields. Some become administrators particularly government officials,
teachers, and Extension workers.(Thongpan et al. 2000). Another significant role is to carryout
research that is directly concerned with the development of rural areas and other aspects of life.
It mainly emphasized Agriculture and Education in the rural areas. Many of the graduates
employed by the Ministry of Education teach in primary, junior and senior secondary schools.
However, the graduates employed to teach in these institutions are confronted with very serious
constraints in the execution of their duties. Most of the schools lack the necessary materials that
facilitate practical lessons. The schools lack planting materials, hand tools and other equipment
used for practical lessons. Practical lessons are not conducted in many schools because of
scarcity of these materials. More appropriately it seems that the agriculture teacher does very
“little” in the development of agriculture in the rural agricultural communities. Another important function of tertiary institutions is the provision of essential service to the rural
agricultural communities, such services include:-
(a) Training of untrained and unqualified teachers in order to build their capacities.
(b) Provide refresher training for qualified teachers to acquaint them with modern concepts in
teaching. Some of these teachers have graduated many years ago from tertiary education
institutions in the country.
The training will help them improve on the quality of delivery which in turn influences the
standard of education in the rural communities. When the educational levels of people are high,
it is very likely that improvement in agriculture will be high in the rural agricultural
communities.
One major important role of tertiary education institutions is to conduct research. Research is
conducted by lecturers and students, which findings should be disseminated to potential
32
stakeholders including the rural agricultural communities. This could be useful to help develop
the rural agricultural communities as the farmers make use of the findings and recommendations.
Through the assistance of the extension agents the community people could use the findings to
improve on their farming. 4. 8 Challenges of Tertiary Education Institutions The data in Figure 4 depicts the responses of deans and registrars of the tertiary education
institutions on the challenges faced by the institutions in the implementation of rural agricultural
development in the four regions of the country. One hundred percent (100%) of the respondents
stated that inadequate funding was very challenging for Eastern Polytechnic and Njala University
while 75% indicated it as very challenging for Northern Polytechnic and 50% stated for Milton
Margai College of Education and Technology. Also 66.7% of the respondents claimed
insufficient number of academic staff as very challenging for Njala University while 75% stated
it as very challenging for Northern Polytechnics and 100% indicated moderately challenging for
Eastern Polytechnics. Furthermore, 60.0% and 50.0% of the deans and registrars at Njala
University and Northern Polytechnics indicated respectively that expansion of infrastructure is
very challenging for the institutional heads, while 100% of respondents at Eastern Polytechnics
claimed it was moderately challenging (Table 14 appendix).
33
FIGURE 4 : Challenges of Tertiary Education Institutions.
4.9 Discussions of findings for Objective 4 Identify the challenges/ problems of tertiary
education institutions in the implementation of rural agricultural development programmes in
Sierra Leone.
4.9.1 Challenges of Tertiary Education Institutions
Mac Gregor (2008) argued that although enrolments in Sub – Saharan Africa (SSA) Universities
tripled from 1991 to 2005, public average funding dropped from an average US $ 6,800 to $981
in 25 years for 33 countries. The author further stated that Universities in Africa received very
little support from their national governments. This statement could be true about tertiary
education institutions in Sierra Leone. The funds allocated for the running of the tertiary
institutions are inadequate which makes it very challenging. Adequate finance must be available
for effective management of tertiary education institutions.
34
Since adequate funds are not available for the management of tertiary education institutions in
Sierra Leone, the infrastructure is not maintained, the laboratories, and libraries are not properly
equipped, teaching and learning materials are not available, resulting in the production of
graduates with weak practical skills.
4.9.2 In adequate facilities in Tertiary Institutions
The infrastructure and other facilities in tertiary education institutions are not readily available to
accommodate all the students that opt for studies. Some of the existing structures have
dilapidated with no available fund to maintain them. Funds are inadequate to put up new
structures. This is very challenging. It could be a possibilty that some institutions end up
enrolling more students than the facilities available. Often the lecture rooms are overcrowded,
furniture are inadequate for the number of students, laboratory facilities very poor, materials for
practical lesson are not available. Some of the structures established for practical lessons such as
pig pens, poultry houses have deteriorated and cannot be easily maintained because of
inadequate funds. Rapid expansion of enrolment in public tertiary institutions in Sierra Leone
may lead to decline in quality education since it does not match with a commensurate increase in
funding.
Electricity and water supply are inadequate in the institutions in the four regions. These are basic
necessities that should be readily available in all educational institutions for quality education to
be achieved. The offices and laboratories need uninterrupted supply of electricity and water for
proper utilization and management of the institutions.\
4.9.3 Weak Research in Tertiary Institutions
Another challenge for tertiary institutions is that little or no research activities take place in some
of the institutions in the country. Only very few lecturer carry out research as a result of
inadequate funding. The few lecturers involved in research activities get contract from other
organizations to conduct research on behalf of these organizations. The majority of research
activities that take place in tertiary institutions are undertaken by students which are part of their
course work. Though students conduct research as part of their course work, the findings of the
research are not disseminated to the public. It is through research that problems of world can be
unfolded and solutions identified.
35
4.9.4 Poor Laboratory Facilities
One hundred (100%) percent of the deans and registrars claimed that poor status of laboratory
facilities was very challenging at Njala University while 66.7% assessed the same as very
challenging at Eastern Polytechnic. The high percentages (100% and 66.7%), revealed that
laboratories in tertiary education institutions in the four regions were very inadequately equipped
for practical lessons.
4.9.5 Poor Working Environment in Tertiary Education Institutions
Sustaining academic and supporting staff at work is very important for effective institutional
operations. The working environment for both academic and supporting staff in the tertiary
education institutions investigated was not adequate as revealed in the study. This challenge has
a negative impact on both the students and the institutions as the poorly motivated staff could not
perform at the maximum effectiveness level thus giving way to producing weak graduates.
4.9.6 Poor Information Communication Technology (ICT) Facilities
Well equipped resource centre with information communication technology (ICT) facilities and
adequate electricity supply are essential for every established tertiary education institutions in the
modern world. With effective communication technology one can communicate across the
world. The availability of information communication facilities at tertiary education institutions
helps both students and lecturers to access teaching and learning materials. The world is dynamic
in nature as changes continue to take place on daily bases; students and lecturers should therefore
keep themselves abreast with modern ideas through information communication technologies.
Due to extreme financial austerity over so many years, quality of teaching, learning and research
has declined. Tertiary education institutions in Sierra Leone now operate with overcrowded and
deteriorating physical facilities, limited and obsolete library resources, insufficient equipment
and instructional materials, outdated curricular and teaching staff that lack extensive training
themselves.
36
Until these challenges are addressed the contributions of tertiary institutions to rural agricultural
development would be minimal if any.
4.10 Impacts of Agricultural Programs on Rural Agricultural Communities
Table 12 (appendix) and Figure 5 illustrate the responses of the community people of the tertiary
institutions environment about the impact of agricultural training programs. The researchers
observed that 63.0% and 75.0% of the respondents said that agricultural programmes of the Njala
University and Milton Margai College of Education and Technology had moderate impact on
accessibility of food respectively. However, 53.7% and 71.4% of respondents indicated low
impact on Eastern and Northern Polytechnics communities.
With regards affordability of food, 59.3% of respondents at Njala University, 62.5% at Milton
Margai College of Education and 43.9% at Eastern Polytechnic stated moderate impact of food
on their respective communities while 22.2 % of respondents at Njala University and 28.5% at
Northern Polytechnic indicated low impact.
37
Figure 5: Impacts of Agricultural Programs on Rural Agricultural Communities
4.11 Discussions of findings for objective 5 : assess stakeholders perceived impacts of
agricultural programmes offered in tertiary education institutions on the development of rural
agriculture in Sierra Leone.
4.11.1 Impacts of Agricultural Programs on Rural Agricultural Communities
Extension workers are trained professionally to disseminate agricultural knowledge and skills to
the rural agricultural communities. They should disseminate new discoveries of research
activities from tertiary education institutions to rural agricultural communities. Extension
workers have not been very effective in performing such task in the four regions. The
38
relationship between the community people and tertiary education institutions has not been
positive to create an impact on the community in terms of food production.
The youth leaders and elders including chiefs confirmed in a focus group discussion that food
items were not accessible, affordable, and adequate in their respective regions as a result of
agricultural programs offered in tertiary institutions. It was also affirmed by youth leaders and
elders including chiefs in focus group discussion that the income generating levels of farmers
within their respective communities is still low while the prevalence of pest and deaseases is still
very high in these regions
As indicated above, the agricultural programmes offered in the tertiary education institutions
have not had positive impact on the rural agricultural communities as the communities continue
to be food in secured and the standard of living continue to be the same even though many
agriculture graduates are produced every year from the institutions in the four regions.
It was confirmed by youth leaders and elders including chiefs in focus group discussions that
most of the agriculture graduates in their communities were not involved in agricultural
activities. They also affirmed that commercial farming in which tractors and power tillers
predominately used were not wide spread in these communities. This is as result of lack of
technical know-how or weak practical skills possessed by agriculture graduates within their
respective communities.
4.12.1 Relevance of Agricultural Programs Offered in Tertiary Education Institutions.
Figure 6 illustrates the frequencies and percentages of the relevance of agricultural programmes
offered in tertiary institutions for the implementation of rural agricultural development in the
country. The respondents were the people residing in the respective communities where the
tertiary agricultural institutions were located. 85.7% of the respondents at Milton Margai
College of Education strongly agreed that tertiary Agricultural Education and Extension
programmes were very theoretical. 61.0% of the respondents at Eastern Polytechnics and 29.
6% at Njala University strongly agreed that the programmes were theoretical (Table 25
39
appendix). The researchers observed that 33.3% of the respondents at Northern Polytechnics
strongly agreed that the graduates of tertiary education institutions and extension programmes
lacked knowledge and skills in their subject matter, while 23.8% disagreed. At Milton Margai
College of Education 85.7% of respondents strongly agreed that graduates of tertiary agriculture
education lacked knowledge and skills in their subject areas. At Njala University 40.2% of the
respondents strongly agreed that tertiary agricultural education and extension programmes are
relevant to agricultural development while 14.8% very strongly disagreed (Table 13).
It was stated in focus group discussions by elders including chiefs, (some of whom are graduates
from the tertiary education institutions) that some agricultural programmes offered in the
institutions are not relevant to rural agricultural development. For example programmes such as
Agricultural Engineering Drawing and Carpentry should be revised to make them relevant to
rural agricultural development needs.
Figure 6 : Relevance of Agricultural Programs Offered in Tertiary Education Institutions
40
41
4.12. 2 Hypothesis 3 Perceptions of Relevance of Agriculture Programmes
Ho: There are no significant differences in stakeholders’ perceptions of the relevance of
agricultural programmes offered in tertiary education institutions for rural agricultural
development among the four regions of Sierra Leone.
Ho: U1 = U2 = U3 = U4
Agricultural Education and Extension Programmes are Relevant to Rural Agricultural Development.
R E S P O N S E
AGREE DISAGREE
Institutions
f % f %
X2
Eastern Polytechnic 19 46.3 22 53.7
Northern
Polytechnic
5 23.8 16 76.2
M.M.C.E.T 3 42.8 4 57.2
Njala University 20 74.0 7 26.0
4.238
In order to reject or accept the stated hypotheses, the researchers went through statistical
calculation using the chi-square and table value. The alpha value is 0.05, hence the table value
was 7.82 i.e. (x2 table = 7.82). The calculated chi-square was 4.238. Since the chi-square is less
than the table value, i.e. 4.238 < 7.82; the decision is not to reject the null hypothesis. Therefore,
there is not sufficient evidence to reject the claim that, “there is no significant difference in stake
holders’ perceptions of the relevance of agricultural programmes offered in tertiary education
institutions for rural agricultural development among the four regions of Sierra Leone” The
general perception of stakeholders is that even though agricultural programmes offered in tertiary
education institutions are relevant to rural agricultural development, they are very theoretical and
most of the graduates of these institutions lack practical knowledge and skills. Agriculture
graduates are produced every year with little practical background who could not engage
themselves into full scale agricultural production. Thus, food insecurity remains a challenge in
the rural agricultural communities
42
4.13 Discussions of findings for objective 6. determine the relevance of agricultural
programmes offered in tertiary education institutions.
4.13.1 Relevance of Agricultural Programs Offered in Tertiary Education Institutions
The findings of this study revealed that the tertiary education institutions can hardly produce
graduates who are well equipped with the necessary agricultural skills that enable them to work
with the rural agricultural communities since the agricultural programmes delivered in most
tertiary education institutions lack practical skills as depicted in Figure 6. Figure 6 illustrates the
frequencies and percentages of the relevance of agricultural programmes offered in institutions
for the implementation of rural agricultural development in the country. The respondents were
the people residing within the respective communities where the tertiary agricultural institutions
were located. It is evident from the study that the classes organized in the institutions are more of
theory than practical. Since facilities were minimally available for practical lessons to be
conducted in the four tertiary education institutions investigated, agricultural graduates with
weak practical skills were produced.
The tertiary education institutions in the country should maintain linkage between the
communities and the institutions. The main intermediary between the two is the extension
agents who would disseminate innovative ideas to the rural agricultural communities from the
institutions.
43
CHAPTER FIVE
Summary, Conclusion, Recommendation and Suggestions for Further Studies
5.1 Summary of Findings.
5.1.1 Types of Agriculture Programs
The programs offered in the four tertiary education institutions included Ph. D., M. Sc., B.Sc.,
B.Ed., TC, HTC, OND, HND, Short term in-service and several weeks certificate programs.
One hundred percent of the respondents claimed that Ph.D, M.Sc, B.Sc, and B.Ed programs were
offered at Njala University. The same percentage indicated that B.Sc, B.Ed, OND, and HND,
HTC and TC programs were offered at Eastern and Northern Polytechnics.
The findings further revealed that the areas of specialization were Crop Science, Animal
Science, Soil Science, Agricultural Economics, Agricultural Engineering, Farm Mechanics,
Agricultural Education, Forestry, and Horticulture.
Agriculture Programs Offered by Institutions in the Four Regions.
REGIONS AND INSTITUTIONS
INSTITUTIONS
SOUTH
Njala University
NORTH
Northern
Polytechnic
EAST
Eastern
Polytechnic
WEST
M. M. C. E. T.
Agriculture
Programes
Offered
Ph.D, M.Sc,
B.Sc, B.Ed,
HTC, TC,
OND, HND
B.Sc, B.Ed,
HTC, TC,
OND, HND
B.Sc, B.Ed,
HTC, TC,
OND, HND
B.Ed, HTC,
OND
Key = TC Teachers Certificate HTC = Higher Teachers Certificate OND = Ordinary National
Diploma HND = Higher National Diploma. M.M.C.E.T = Milton Margai College of Education
and Technology
44
5.1.2 Resource Availability (human, finance and material)
5.1.2.1 Human Resource
One hundred percent (100%) of the respondents claimed that administrative and academic staff
were available in all the institutions but barely adequate. Supporting staff including farm
assistants for servicing agricultural programmes were available at barely adequate levels.
5.1.2.2 Financial Resources
The sources of funding for these tertiary education institutions were the Sierra Leone
Government, students, private donors, educational organizations, and non governmental
organizations. However, the Sierra Leone government was the main source of funding for the
tertiary education institutions in the four regions.
5.1.2.3 Material Resource
The material resources including teaching and learning resource centers, farm mechanics, tools,
trators, power tillers animal and crop production inputs were available at inadequate levels in the
four tertiary education institutions.
5.2.1 The Role of Tertiary Education Institutions in Rural Agricultural Development
5.2.2.1 Teacher Training One hundred percent of the respondents claimed that teachers were trained in the disciplines of
Agricultural Education and Agriculture General at Eastern Polytechnic, Milton Margai College
of Education and Technology, Njala University and Northern Polytechnic.
5.2.2.2 Research
The researchers observed that 80% of respondents indicated that lecturers did not carry out
research at four tertiary institutions investigated. Much of the research carried out in tertiary
education institutions in Sierra Leone is academic in nature and carried out by students as part of
their course work. The findings of the research conducted in most tertiary institutions in Sierra
Leone are not disseminated to the rural communities.
45
5.2.2.3 Teacher In-Service Training
About 66.7% and 50% respondents claimed that Njala University and Milton Margai College
respectively conducted in-service training for untrained and unqualified teachers. One hundred
percent of deans indicated that the same training was carried out at the Northern Polytechnic
while 66.7% claimed that in-service training for untrained and unqualified teachers was
conducted at the Eastern Polytechnics.
5.2.3 Challenges of Tertiary Education Institutions
Inadequate funds were allocated to tertiary education institutions in Sierra Leone which made the
administration of the institutions very challenging. The study revealed that all the subjects of the
study at Njala University, Eastern Polytechnic, Northern Polytechnics, Milton Margai College of
Education and Technology indicated inadequacy of funds as very challenging for running of
their institutions. Inadequate administrative, academic and supporting staff posed serious
challeges for all the tertiary institutions.
5.2.4 Impacts of Agricultural Programs on Rural Agricultural Communities
The findings revealed that agricultural programs offered in the four tertiary education institutions
had low impact on some communities and moderate impact on others. Seventy-five percent and
fifty percent of respondents within Milton Margai communities and Njala communities indicated
moderate impact of the agricultural programs respectively on food adequacy in their respective
communities. Also, 75% and 37% of the respondents at Milton Margai College and Njala
University communities respectively indicated low and moderate impact of agricultural
programmes in respect of income generating level of farmers on their respective communities. It
was observed by the researcher that 57.6% of the respondents at Njala University, 37.5% at
Milton Margai College of Educaton and Technology, 47.6% at Northern Polytechnic, and 43.9%
at Eastern Polytechnic indicated low impact of agricultural programs on the farm sizes of the
community people.
5.2.5 Relevance of Agricultural Programs Offered in Tertiary Education Institutions
46
The findings revealed that agricultural programmes delivered in the four tertiary education
institutions lacked practical skills. About 86% of the respondents at Milton Margai College of
Education strongly agreed that tertiary Agricultural Education and Extension programmes were
theoretical. Also 61.0% of the respondents at Eastern Polytechnics and 29.6% from Njala
University strongly agreed that the agricultural programmes were theoretical.
Furthermore, the findings revealed that food items were moderately accessible and affordable in
the rural agricultural communities as a result of the agricultural programmes offered in tertiary
education institutions. Also the income generating levels of farmers have not increased in the
respective communities as a result of agricultural programmes offered in the tertiary education
institutions.
CONCLUSIONS
5.3.1 Types of Agriculture Programs.
It is concluded that the types of agricultural programmes offered in these institutions were Ph.D,
M.Sc., and B.Sc, B.Ed, TC, HTC, OND, HND. Also short-term in-service programs for
untrained and unqualified teachers were offered in these institutions. The researchers also
concluded that Ph.D. and M.Sc. programs were only offered at Njala University while Milton
Margai College of Education and Technology did not offer B.Sc., Higher National Diploma
(HND) and Teachers Certificate (T C) programs.
5.3.2 Resource Availability (human, finance and material)
The researchers concluded that administrative and academic staff and material resourses were
available in all the tertiary educational institutions but barely adequate.
Conclusively, the government of Sierra Leone is the major provider of resources for the running
of tertiary education institutions in the country; however the resources were grossly inadequate
for the administration of the tertiary education institutions offering agricultural programs in the
four regions.
47
5.3.3 The Role of Tertiary Education Institutions in Rural Agricultural Development It is concluded that the tertiary education institutions offering agricultural programmes in Sierra
Leone perform the role of teaching. Agricultural science teachers and lecturers are trained from
these institutions. Also, authorities from the institutions perform invaluable services to the
community such as consultancy and public lectures. 5.3.4 Impact of Agricultural Programmes on Rural Agricultural Communities:
It is concluded that agricultural programmes offered in the four tertiary education institutions
had low impact on some communities and moderate impact on others in terms of adequacy,
accessibility and affordability of food items produced within the respective communities.
Conclusively, the agricultural programs offered in the various tertiary education institutions have
had low impact on the lives of people within the respective communities in terms of farm size,
income generating levels, adequacy, accessibility and affordability of food.
5.3.5 Relevance of Agricultural Programmes
The researchers concluded that agricultural programmes offered in the four tertiary education
institutions were theoretical and most of the gradutes produced lacked adequate practical skills in
agriculture. It is therefore concluded that tertiary agricultural institutions in the four regions had
minimal practical facilities, thereby producing gradutes with weak practical skills
5 .3.6 Challenges of Tertiary Education Institutions in Delivering Agricultural Programmes. The researchers concluded that the major challenges facing tertiary education institutions
offering agricultural programs were:
� Insufficient number of administrative, academic, supporting and farm assistants.
� Inadequate funds to run the institutions.
� Poor library and laboratory facilities.
� Poor information communitation and technology facilities
� Brain drain of academic staff
� inadequate supply of electricity and water
Until these challenges are addressed the rural agricultural communities remain to be
underdeveloped in Sierra Leone.
48
5.4 RECOMMENDATIONS
The researchers made the following recommendations based on the findings of the study.
5.4.1 Types of Agricultural Programmes 1. The agricultural programs offered in the tertiary education institution should be distributed
based on the demand of the community in the four regions of the country.
2. Programmes that are relevant to the development of rural agricultural communities should be
included in the curricula of tertiary education institutions.
3. More Ph.D. and Masters Programs in agriculture should be added to the curricula as
demanded by the institutions.
5.4.2 Availability of Resources (human, finance and material)
1. Government should allocate sufficient funds to all levels of agricultural institutions for
procurement of material resources to enhance successful implementation of agricultural
programs in rural agricultural communities.
2. Heads of tertiary education institution offering agricultural programmes should seek funding
agencies to finance their respective institutions; for example, asking for maternal or financial
aid from non-government organizations and educational organizations..
3. The existing laboratories should be well equipped with practical materials such as tools,
seeds, seedlings, fertilizers to enhance practical activities. Institutions without laboratories
should endeavour to have one.
4. Facilities for practical should be available in all the tertiary education institutions for raising
livestock.
5. Land laboratories should readily be available in all the tertiary education institutions for
practical lessons.
8 Adequate funds should be allocated to tertiary education institutions for research work.
5.4.3 Relevance of Agricultural Programmes
1. As part of their training, agriculture students should be sent to agro-allied industry or well
established agricultural institutions to acquire invaluable practical skills before graduating.
This may last for a period between two and six months.
49
2. Curriculum developers should incorporate programs in the curricula of tertiary education
institution that are relevant to rural agricultural development. It is necessary to involve
educationist and students within the communities in designing such a curriculum.
5.4.4 The Role of Tertiary Education Institutions in Rural Agricultural Development 1. Tertiary education institutions should be engaged in more research activities at all times.
2. Result of research findings should be disseminated to the public for implementation.
3. Adult education in the area of agriculture should be periodically conducted by lecturers of
tertiary education institutions within the rural agricultural communities.
4. Tertiary education institutions should provide several weeks’ in-service training for untrained
and unqualified teachers.
5.4.5 Challenges of Tertiary Education Institutions
1. Adequate funds should be allocated for the management of tertiary education institutions in
the country.
2. Academic, supporting staff, administrative and farm assistants must be motivated to work
harder in order to maintain high academic standard as motivated workers perform better.
3. Adequate information and communication facilities should be available in tertiary education
institutions with continuous supply of electricity.
5.4.6 Impacts of Agricultural Programs on Rural Communities
1. Curricula should be revised in the tertiary education institution by incorporating
contemporary, emerging issues thus equipping student with up to date literature and research
materials
2. Agriculture programs should be structured to enable students acquire practical skills for job
markets.
3. The institutions should be properly equipped for practical lessons to be conducted. These
institutions should have demonstrations farms where students should acquire practical skills.
More credit hours should be allocated for practical lessons to enable students to participate in
practical activities as agriculture is practical oriented.
50
4. Agricultural Programs that impact on rural agricultural communities should be incorporated
in the curricula of tertiary agricultural institutions in the country.
5.5 Suggestions for Further Studies.
The following research areas could be explored.
(1) Evaluation of agriculture programmes in tertiary education institutions in Sierra Leone.
(2) Government policies and their implications on agricultural programmes offered in
tertiary education institutions in Sierra Leone.
(3) Examine the resources available for the successful implementation of agricultural
programmes in Sierra Leone.
(4) Assess reliable sources of adequate funding for agricultural programmes in tertiary
agricultural institutions in Sierra Leone.
(5) Effect of competency (qualification) of human resource on successful implementation of
agricultural programmes in tertiary agricultural institutions in Sierra Leone.
(6) Examine resource management strategies for successful implementation of agricultural
programmes in tertiary agricultural institutions in Sierra Leone.
(7) Investigate the utilization of available resources (teaching and learning materials) in
tertiary agricultural institutions in Sierra Leone.
(8) Assess the impact of non-availability of resources in tertiary agricultural institutions in
Sierra Leone.
(9) Acquisition and level of resources in tertiary agricultural institutions in Sierra Leone.
(10) Government interventions and implications of the agricultural programmes in tertiary
agricultural institutions in Sierra Leone.
(11) A survey of agriculture programs and courses offered in post secondary institutions in
the Southern region of Sierra Leone.
(12) Assessment of the relevance of agricultural programs in tertiary education institutions in
the enhancement of food security in Sierra Leone.
REFERENCES
Alie, J. A.D., (2006.) Sierra Leone since independence: History of post- colonial state. Africa
51
Future publishers. Accra: Alghali A.M, Turay E.D.A, Thomas E.J.D , Kandeh J.B.A (2005)- Environmental Scan on
Education in Sierra Leone. With particular reference to open and Distance Learning and Information and Communication Technology. Common Wealth of Learning. Freetown.
Atchoerena, D.Keith H, 2004. – The role of agricultural colleges and universities in rural development and lifelong learning in Asia. UNESCO , Paris.
Mac Gregor K. (2008): Africa, tertiary education key to growth; University world News, Africa
Edition World Bank Washington D.C.
Maguire C. J. (2000). Agricultural education in Africa: managing charge. Paper prepared for workshop, sponsored by the kawakawa Africa Association, Accra and cape coast Ghana. World conference on agricultural education and training UNESCO, ILO
Ngongi A. N (2000) “placing agricultural tertiary education in the policy agenda”
Ning A. 1998 A paper presented at the regional meeting on “The role of university in rural Development” Beijing China.
Rufokum Newsletter (2007) at http.//www.Ruform.org. The New Dynamics of Higher Education and Research; Strategies for change and development.
Regional conferee on African Higher Education in Africa (CRESA) UESCO Paris, present challenges, future opportunities. World Bank. Washington D C.
Uduakobong, et el 2011, curricular structure of Universities and Professional Skills Development
in Nigeria. African Education Development Issues. Afredu Issues No.3 2011, ROCARE
No.3 2011.
World Bank report (2007). Cultivating knowledge and skills to grow Africa agriculture: A synthesis of institutional, regional and international review.
World Bank (2007) . Education in Sierra Leone
Yaye, A. D., and Madakedze R. (2009) tertiary agricultural training in the 21st century: challenges, needs and opportunities
51
APPENDIX
TABLE 2TYPES OF AGRICULTURE PROGRAMMES OFFERED BY INSTITUTIONS
INSTITUTIONS
NJALA UNIVERSITY
n=6
NORTHERN
POLYTECHNIC
n=4
EASTERN POLYTECHNIC
n=4
M.M.C.E.T
n=4
NO TYPES OF
PROGRAMMES
YES NO YES NO YES NO YES NO
1 M. Sc. Ph. D 100% 0% 0% 100% 0% 100% 0% 100%
2 B.Sc. 100% 0% 100% 0% 100% 0% 0% 100%
3 B. Ed. 100% 0% 100% 0% 100% 0% 100% 0%
4 T.C 83.3% 16.6% 100% 0% 100% 0% 0% 100%
5 HTC 83.3% 16.6% 100% 0% 100% 0% 100% 0%
6 OND 33.3% 66.7% 100% 0% 100% 0% 100% 0%
7 HND
33.3% 66.7% 100% 0% 100% 0% 0% 100%
8 Several weeks
certificate
Program
100% 0% 75% 25% 100% 0% 100% 0%
9 Short term in-
service course
33.3% 66.7% 75% 25% 0% 100% 75% 25%
52
TABLE 3:
AVAILABILITY OF STAFF IN FOUR TERTIARY EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS (% RESPONSES OF DEANS)
INSTITUTIONS
NJALA UNIVERSIFTY
n=6
NORTHERN POLYTECHNIC
n=4
EASTERN POLYTECHNIC
n=4
M.M.C.E.T
n=4
NO STAFF
AVAILABLE NOT
AVAILABLE
AVAILABLE NOT
AVAILABLE
AVAILABLE NOT
AVAILABLE
ABAILABLE NOT
AVAILABLE
1 Administrative staff 100% 0% 100% 0% 100% 0% 100% 0%
2 Academic Staff 100% 0% 100% 0% 100% 0% 100% 0%
3 Supporting Staff for
servicing agricultural
programmes
100% 0% 100% 0% 100% 0% 100% 0%
4 Farm assistant for
servicing agricultural
programmes
100% 0% 100% 0% 100% 0% 100% 0%
53
:
TABLE 4 ADEQUACY OF STAFF IN THE FOUR TERTIARY EDUCATION INSTITUTION (% RESPONSES OF DEANS)
NJALA UNIVERSITY
N=6
NORTHERN POLYTECHNIC
N=4
EASTERN POLYTECHNIC
N=4
M.M.C.E.T
N=4
NO STAFF
Highly
adequate
Moderately
adequate
Minimally
adequate
Highly
adequate
Moderately
adequate
Minimally
adequate
Highly
adequate
Moderately
adequate
Minimally
adequate
Highly
adequate
Moderately
adequate
Minimally
adequate
1
Administrative
staff 50.0% 33.3% 16.7% 0% 0% 100% 50% 50% 0% 50% 50% 0%
2 Academic
staff 33.3% 33.3% 33.3% 0% 0% 100% 50% 50% 0% 25% 50.0% 25.0%
3
Supporting
staff for
serving
agricultural
programmes
33.3% 16.7% 50.0% 0% 0% 100% 0% 100% 0% 25% 50% 25%
4
Farm
Assistants
from
servicing
agriculture
programmes
16.7% 33.3% 50.0% 0% 0% 100% 0% 100% 0% 25% 25% 50%
54
TABLE 5 AVAILABILITY OF TEACHING AND LEARNING FACILITIES IN THE FOUR TERTIARY INSITUTIONS.
INSTITUTIONS
NJALA UNIVERSITY
N=5
NORTHERN POLYTECHNIC
N=4
EASTERN POLYTECHNIC
N=4
M.M.C.E.T
N=4
NO
TEACHING AND
LEARNING
FACILITIES
Available Not
Available Available
Not
Available Available
Not
Available Available
Not
Available
1 Class Room space 100% 0% 100% 0% 100% 0% 100% 0%
2 Library Facilities 80% 20% 75% 25% 100% 0% 75% 25%
3 Land Laboratory 100% 0% 75% 25% 100% 0% 75% 25%
4 Computer
Facilities 80% 20% 100% 0% 100% 0% 75% 25%
5 Science Laboratory 60% 40% 75% 25% 75% 25% 75% 25%
55
TABLE 6 ADEQUACY OF TEACHING AND LEARNING FACILITIES
INSTITUTIONS
NJALA UNIVERSITY
n=5
NORTHERN POLYTECHNIC
n=4
EASTERN POLYTECHNIC
n=4
M.M.C.E.T
n=4
NO
Teaching
and
Learning
Facilities
Highly
adequat
e
Moderatel
y
adequate
Minimally
adequate
Highly
adequa
te
Moderatel
y
adequate
Minimally
adequate
Highly
adequa
te
Moderatel
y
adequate
Minimall
y
adequat
e
Highly
adequat
e
Moderatel
y
adequate
Minimall
y
adequat
e
1
Class Room
space 20 80% 0% 0% 0% 100% 0%
100%
0% 25% 75% 0%
2 Library
Facilities 0% 20% 80%
0% 75% 25%
0% 100% 0% 0% 25% 75%
3 Land
Laboratory
0% 80% 20%
0%
75% 25%
0% 100% 0% 0% 25% 75%
4 Computer
Facilities
0% 20% 80%
0% 25% 75%
0% 0% 100% 0% 25% 75%
5 Science
Laboratory
0% 20% 80%
0% 0% 100%
0% 0% 100% 0% 75% 25%
56
Table 7 AVALABILITY OF FARM TOOLS IN THE FOUR TERTIARY EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS
INSTITUTIONS
NO HAND
TOOLS
NJALA UNIVERSITY
N=5
NORTHERN POLYTECHNIC
N=4
EASTERN POLYTECHNIC
N=4
M.M.C.E.T
4
Available Not
Available Available
Not
Available Available
Not
Available Available
Not
Available
1 Cutlasses 80% 20% 75% 25% 100% 0% 100% 0%
2 Hoe
80%
20%
75% 25% 100% 0% 100% 0%
3 Digging
Fork
80%
20%
75% 25% 100% 0% 75% 25%
4 Shovels
80%
20%
75% 25% 100% 0% 100% 0%
5 Watering
Can
80%
20%
75% 25% 100% 0% 75% 25%
57
TABLE 12:
IMPACT OF AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS ON COMMUNITIES
(% RESPONSE OF COMMUNITY PEOPLE)
Impact on Food
Security
Southern Region
Njala University
Northern
Polytechnic
Northern Region
Eastern Polytechnic
Eastern Region
M.M.C.E.
Western Regions
N
o. Level of Impact Low
.
Imp
act
High
Impa
ct
Mode
rate
Impa
ct
Low
.
Imp
act
Hig
h
Imp
act
Mode
rate
Impac
t
Low.
Impact
High
Impa
ct
Moder
ate
Impact
Low.
Impa
ct
High
Imp
act
Modera
te
Impact
1 Food assessment
in the rural
communities
25.
9%
11.1
%
63.0
%
71.4
%
14.3
%
14.3% 53.7% 9.8% 36.6% 0% 25.0
%
75.0%
2 Food affordable
in rural
communities
22.
2%
18.5
%
59.3
%
28.6
%
42.9
%
28.6% 31.7% 24.4
%
43.9% 0% 37.5
%
62.5%
3 Income
generating level
37.
0%
14.8
%
48.1
%
14.3
%
66.7
%
19.7% 24.4% 34.1
%
41.5%
%
12.5
%
12.5
%
75.0%
4 Develop farmers’
skills and
knowledge
25.
9%
25.9
%
48.1
%
38.1
%
38.1
%
23.0% 41.5% 19.5
%
39.0% 0% 23.5
%
76.0%
5 Control of pests
and diseases
55.
6%
25.9
%
18.5
%
9.5
%
61.9
%
28.6% 29.3% 31.7
%
39.0% 23.5
%
5.9
%
90.6%
6 Level of
education in
farming
44.
4%
14.8
%
40.7
%
19.0
%
42.9
%
38.1% 39.0% 22.0
%
39.0% 5.9% 11.8
%
82.4%
7 Quality of
livestock
38.
5%
26.9
%
34.6
%
4.8
%
33.3
%
61.9% 32.5% 17.5
%
50.0% 43.8
%
12.5
%
43.5%
8 Level of
education in
farming
44.
4%
14.8
%
40.7
%
19.7
%
48.9
%
38.1% 39.0% 22.0
%
39.0% 5.9% 11.8
%
82.4%
58
Table 13: RELEVANCE OF AGRICULTURAL PROGRAMMES OFFERED IN TERTIARY EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS
SOUTH
NJALA UNVERSITY
NORTH
NOTHERN
POLYTECHNIC
EAST
EASTER POLYTECHNIC
WEST
M.M.C.E.T
NO ECONOMIC RELEVANCE OF AGRICULTURAL
PROGRAMMES
DISAGREE AGREE DISAGREE AGREE DISAGREE AGREE DISAGREE AGREE
Tertiary agricultural programmes are relevant to rural
development
26% 74% 76.2% 23.8% 53.7% 46.3% 57.2% 42.8%
1. Tertiary agricultural educational programmes are very
theoretical
59.2% 40.8% 57.2% 42.8% 65.8% 34.2% 85.8% 14.2%
2. Graduates of tertiary agricultural education lack
knowledge and skills in practical
66.7% 33.3% 66.7% 23.3% 75.7% 24.3% 85.8% 14.2%
3. There is no link between agricultural educational
programme and rural development
22.0% 78% 48% 52% 29% 71% 85.8% 14.2%
4. Tertiary Agricultural Education programmes are
relevant to agric development
26.0% 74.0% 76.2% 23.8% 46.3% 53% 57% 14.2%
5. Tertiary agric education have made food affordable
and accessible
66.6% 33.3% 57.0% 43.3% 56.0% 44% 85.8% 14.2%
6. Income generating level of farmers have increased due
to agric programmes
59% 41% 57% 43% 18.0% 44% 85.8% 14.2%
7. Farmers skill and knowledge have improved 48% 52.0% 38.0% 62% 51.0% 49% 85.8% 14.2%
8. The use of modern technology is now possible 44.0% 56.0% 52.4% 47.6% 73.0% 27% 85.8% 14.2%
9. Farm sizes have increased 59.0% 41.0% 52% 48.0% 61.0% 39.0% 85.8% 14.2%
10. Much improvement in pests and disease control 55.5% 44.4% 38.0% 62.0% 61.0% 39.0% 85.8% 14.2%
11. Market and storage facilities improved 55.5% 44.4% 57% 43% 63.0% 37.0% 85.8% 14.2%
12. Adult Education has improved due to Agri. Education
programme
48.0% 52.0% 38.0% 62% 51% 49.0% 85.8% 14.2%
13. Livestock production has improved. 33.3% 66.7% 28.8% 71.2% 48.8% 51.2% 85.7% 14.2%
59
Table 14 FACTORS THAT CONTRIBUTE TO CHALLENGES IN INSTITUTIONAL OPERATION
I N S T I T U T I O N S / R E G I O N
SOUTHERN REGION
NJALA UNIVERSITY
n=5
NORTHERN REGION
NORTHER POLYTECHNIC
n=4
EASTERN REGION
EASTERN POLYTECHNIC
n=3
WESTERN REGION
M.M.C.E.T
n=4
FACTORS THAT CONTRIBUTE TO
CHALLENGES IN INSTITUTIONAL
OPERATION
Ve
ry
Ch
all
en
gin
g
Mo
de
rate
ly
Ch
all
en
gin
g
No
t
Ch
all
en
gin
g
Ve
ry
Ch
all
en
gin
g
Mo
de
rate
ly
Ch
all
en
gin
g
No
t
Ch
all
en
gin
g
Ve
ry
Ch
all
en
gin
g
Mo
de
rate
ly
Ch
all
en
gin
g
No
t
Ch
all
en
gin
g
Ve
ry
Ch
all
en
gin
g
Mo
de
rate
ly
Ch
all
en
gin
g
No
t
Ch
all
en
gin
g
Inadequate funding 100% 0% 0% 75% 0% 25% 100% 0.% 0.% 50% 50% 0.%
Insufficient Academic Staff 66.7% 33.3% 0% 75% 25% 0% 0.% 100% 0.% 25% 75% 0.%
Insufficient supporting staff 80% 20% 0% 25% 0% 50% 0.% 100% 0.% 75% 25% 0.%
Deteriorating infrastructure 80% 20% 0% 50% 25% 25% 0.% 100% 0.% 50% 50% 0.%
Expansion of infrastructure 60.0% 20% 20.0% 50.0% 25% 25% 0.% 100% 0.% 75% 25%% 0.%
Brain Drain 60.% 20.0% 20% 25.0% 25% 50% 0.% 0% 100% 75% 25.% 0.%
Poor information communication
technology (ICT) facilities
100% 0% 0% 25.0% 75% 0% 33.3 66.7% 0.% 75% 25% 0.%
Insufficient supply of electricity 40% 60% 0% 50% 25% 25% 100% 0% 0.% 50% 50% 0.%
Insufficient supply of water 60% 20% 20% 0% 75% 25% 0.% 66.7% 33.3% 75% 25% 0.%
Poor library facilities 100% 0% 0% 50% 25% 25% 100% 0% 0.% 25.0% 25.0%
Poor lab facilities 100% 0% 0% 50% 25% 25% 66.7% 33.3% 0.% 50% 25.0% 25.0%
Weak Research 80% 20% 0% 25% 25% 50% 33.3% 66.7% 0.% 50% 25.0% 25.0%
Increased demand enrolment 100% 0% 0% 0% 75% 25% 33.3% 66.7% 0.% 50% 25.0% 25.0%
Sustenance of academic and
supporting staff
60% 20% 20% 25% 75% 0% 33.3% 66.7% 0% 75% 25% 0%
60
APPENDIX:
Questionnaire for Registrars /Deans/ Heads of Department of Tertiary Education
Institutions offering agricultural programme
SECTION I
1. TYPES OF AGRICULTURE PROGRAMMES OFFERED IN TERTIARY INSTITUTIONS
INSTRUCTION:
Put a tick ( √ ) in Column B, alongside the agricultural programmes listed in column A that are offered for
either preparing students for agricultural teaching profession and /or the technical vocational agriculture occupation.
COLUMN B COLUMN A
TICK
1:0 AGRICULTURAL PROGRAMMES
Offered for Agricultural Teaching Profession
Offered for Technical & Vocational Agricultural
1:1 Post Graduate (M.SC. Ph D)
1:2 Degree (B.SC /B. Ed)
1:3 Certificate (TC / HTC)
1:4 Diploma (OND / HND)
1:5 Short Term in service course
1:6 Several weeks certificate programmes
1:7 Others (Specify)
APPENDIX 2: AREAS OF SPECIALIZATION IN AGRICULTURE
INSTRUCTION:
Put a Tick ( √ ) in “Column B” to identify the programmes of study your institution offers that correspond
with each of the areas of agriculture in “Column A” Please leave the space blank for any programmes which your institution does not offer.
61
Key: OND – Ordinary National Diploma; HND – Higher National Diploma; TC – Teachers Certificate;
HTC – Higher Teachers Certificate
COLUMN B COLUMN A TICK ( √ ) Programme Awards
2:0
Areas of Agriculture
Cert
Dip. In Agric
OND
HND
TC
HTC
B. Sc
B. ED
M. Sc
PhD
2:1 Crop Science
2:2 Animal Science
Put a Tick ( √ ) in “Column B” to identify the programmes of study your institution offers that correspond
with each of the areas of agriculture in “Column A” Please leave the space blank for any programmes which your institution does not offer.
2:0
Areas of Agriculture
Cert
Dip. In Agric
OND
HND
TC
HTC
B. Sc
B. ED
M. Sc
PhD
2:3 Soil Science
2:4 Agricultural Economics
2:5 Agricultural Engineering
2:6 Farm Mechanics
2:7 Agricultural Education
2:8 Aquaculture
2:9 Forestry
2:10 Horticulture
2:11 Wood Work /carpentry
2:12 Mental work
2:13 Others (Specify)
62
SECTION II 3. ASSESSMENT OF INSTITUTIONAL RESOURCEFULNESS
Assessment of Human Resourcefulness
INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Put a Tick ( √ ) in the space provided in “Column B” to indicate whether the categories of human
resources in “Column A” are available or not available. 2. Put a tick ( √ ) in the space provided in
“Column C” to indicate the level of adequacy that corresponds to the category of human resources in
Column A”.
COLUMN A COLUMN B COLUMN C Availability Level of Adequacy
3:0
Categories of Human Resources
Available
Not Available
Don’t Know
Highly Adequate
Moderately Adequate
Minimally Adequate
Don’t Know
3:1
Administrative Staff
3:2
Academic Staff
3:3
Supporting Staff for servicing agricultural Programmes
3:4
Farm assistant for servicing agricultural Programmes
3:5
Others (Specify)
4. ASSESSMENT OF MATERIAL RESOURCEFULNESS
INSTRUCTION:
1. Put a tick ( √ ) in the space provided in “Column B” to indicate whether the type of material
resources in “column A” are available or not available.
63
4. ASSESSMENT OF MATERIAL RESOURCEFULNESS
INSTRUCTION:
1. Put a tick ( √ ) in the space provided in “Column B” to indicate whether the type of material
resources in “column A” are available or not available.
2. Put a tick ( √ ) in the space provided in “Column C” to indicate the level of adequacy that
corresponds to each material resource in “Column A”
COLUMN A COLUMN B COLUMN C Material Resources Availability Level of Adequacy
4:0
Types of Material Resources
Available Not
Available Don’t Know
Highly Adequate
Moderately Adequate
Minimally Adequate
Don’t Know
AGRICULTURAL ANIMAL INPUT
4:19 Pig Pen
4:20 Poultry House
4:21 Ruminants
4:22 Poultry
4:23 Feeders
4:24 Waters
4:25 Incubators
4:26 Disinfectants
BASIC AMENITIES 4:27 Electricity
4:28 Water
4:29 Others (Specify)
COLUMN A COLUMN B COLUMN C Material Resources Availability Level of Adequacy
4:0
Types of Material Resources
Available
Not Available
Don’t Know
Highly Adequate
Moderately Adequate
Minimally Adequate
Don’t Know
Teaching/Learning Facilities:
4:1 Classroom Space
4:2 Library facilities
4:3 Land laboratory
64
INSTRUCTION:
1. Put a tick ( √ ) in the space provided in “Column B” to indicate whether the type of material
resources in “column A” are available or not available. 2. Put a tick ( √ ) in the space provided
in “Column C” to indicate the level of adequacy that corresponds to each material re 5: ASSESSMENT OF FINANCIAL RESOURCEFULNES
4:4 Computer facilities
4:5 Science laboratories
HAND TOOLS: 4:6 Cutlasses
4:7 Hoe
4:8 Digging Fork
4:9 Shovels
4:10 Hand Trowels
4:11 Watering Can
CROP PRODUCTION IN PUT:
4:12 Planting materials
4:13 Fertilizers
4:14 Insecticides
4:15 Fungicides/Pesticides
MACHINERY
4:16 Power Tillers
4:17 Tractors
4:18 Others (Specify)
COLUMN A COLUMN B LEVEL OF ADEQUACY
5:0
FINANCE Highly Adequate Moderately
Adequate Minimally Adequate
Don’t Know
5:1
Finance to run the affairs of the institution
65
INSTRUCTION:
For each item in “Column A” put a tick ( √ ) in Column B that corresponds to the types of sources of
resources in your institution. RESOURCES SOURCES OF RESOURCES
S/L GOVT. STUDENT OTHERS
6:0
TYPES OF RESOURCES MAJOR
MINOR
MAJOR
MINOR
PRIVATE DONOR
BUSINESS ORG.
EDUC. ORG.
NGO
6:1 Human (Staff) 6:2 Material 6:3 Finance 6:4 Grants
SECTION III
1. Put a tick (√) in the space provided in “column B” that corresponds to the role played by tertiary education institutions in rural agricultural development in “column A”.
COLUMN A COLUMN B 7:0
Which of the following roles does your institution play in rural agricultural development.
Tick
TEACHING YES NO 7:1 Teachers who are trained in the discipline of Agricultural Education 7:2 Teachers who are trained in the discipline of Agricultural General 7:3 Teachers trained particularly for rural agricultural communities 7:4 Teachers trained in the area of farm mechanics 7:5 Teachers trained in the area of forestry 7:6 Teachers trained in the area of Animal Science 7:7 Teachers trained in the area of crop production 7:8 Teachers trained in the area of crop protection
1.
2. Put a tick (√) in the space provided in “column B” that corresponds to the role played by tertiary
education institutions in rural agricultural development in “column A”.
RESEARCH YES NO 7:9 Lecturers carry out research 7:10 Research results are disseminated to rural agricultural communities 7:11 Extension workers trained in the discipline of research 7:12 Communities participate in agricultural research
66
SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY 7:13 Conduct in service training for the community people 7:14 Provide training facilities in crop production. 7:15 Provide training facilities based upon ruminant production 7:16 Facilitate training in crop production. 7:17 Facilitate training in fish farming
7:18 Conduct in-service training for untrained and unqualified teachers 7:19 Others (Specify)
SECTION IV
Identify the challenges/problems of Tertiary Education Institutions in performing their
roles for rural agricultural development
INSTRUCTION: Put a tick ( √ ) in the space provided in column B to indicate the level of challenge that corresponds to each of the factors that constitute a challenge in your institutional operation in
column A.
NSTRUCTION: Put a tick ( √ ) in the space provided in column B to indicate the level of challenge that corresponds to each of the factors that constitute a challenge in your institutional operation in
column A.
8.0
To what extent do the following
factors contribute challenges
to your institutional operations.
Very
challenging
Moderately
challenging
Not
challenging
Don’t
Know
8:1 Inadequate funding 8:2 Insufficient number of academic staff 8:3 Insufficient number of supporting staff 8:4 Ageing of academic staff 8:5 Deteriorating infrastructure 8:6 Weak human capital 8:7 Expansion of the infrastructure
67
8:8 Sustenance of the staff (academic & supporting)
8:9 Maintenance of infrastructure 8:10 Brain Drain 8:11 Decline in the quality of education 8:12 Weak Research 8:13 Increased demand for enrolment 8:14 Weak teaching capacity
8:15 Poor information communication technology (TCT) facilities
8:16 Lack of Innovation 8:17 Insufficient supply of electricity 8:19 Insufficient supply of water 8:20 Poor laboratory facilities 8:21 Poor library facilities 8:22 Poor toilet facilities 8:23 Irregular attendance of lecturers/instructors 8:24 Others (Specify)
QUESTIONAIRE FOR COMMUNITY PEOPLE SECTION I
INSTRUCTIONS:
Below are possible areas in which agricultural education programmes impact on communities
COLUMN B CODE
COLUMN A LEVEL OF IMPACT
1:00
STATEMENT OF POSSIBLE IMPACT ON FOOD SECURITY
LOW
IMPACT
HIGH IMPACT
MODERATE
IMPACT 1:01 Access to food in rural agriculture community 1:02 Food affordable in the rural agriculture community 1:03 Food adequate in the rural agricultural community
1:04 Income generating level of farmers
68
1. Put a tick (√) in the space provided in column B to indicate the level of impact that corresponds to the statement on possible impact of food security in column A
1:10 Develop farmer’s skills and knowledge in
1:11 Farm size 1:12 Control of pests and diseases of crops 1:13 Control of pests and diseases of animals 1:14 Market facilities 1:15 Use of appropriate technology in farming 1:16 Level of education of farming 1:17 Acquisition of farm tools 1:18 Storage facilities 1:19 O
1. Put a tick (√) in the space provided in “column B” that corresponds to the role played by
tertiary education institutions in rural agricultural development in “column A”.
COLUMN A COLUMN B 2:00 Which of the following are evident in your community Tick
TEACHING YES NO
2:02 Teachers who are trained in the discipline of Agricultural Education 2:03 Teachers trained who trained in the discipline of Agricultural General 2:04 Teachers trained particularly for rural agricultural communities 2:05 Teachers trained in the area of farm mechanics 2:05 Teachers trained in the area of forestry 2:06 Teachers trained in the area of Animal Science 2:07 Teachers trained in the area of crop production 2:08 Teachers trained in the area of crop protection
RESEARCH
1:05 Quality of produce from framers 1:06 Quality of produce from farmers 1:07 Quantity of livestock in rural community 1:08 Acquisition of farm tools 1:09
Nature of road condition (Ease of mobility)
69
2:09 Lecturers carry out research in rural communities 2:10 Research results are disseminated to rural agricultural communities 2:11 Extension workers trained in the discipline of research 2:12 Communities participate in agricultural research
SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY 2:14 Conduct in service training for the community people 2:15 Provide training facilities in crop production. 2:16 Provide training facilities based upon ruminant production 2:17 Facilitate training in crop production. 2:18 Facilitate training in fish farming 2:19 Conduct in-service training for untrained and unqualified teachers 2:20 Others (Specify)
SECTION III
Relevance of Agricultural Programmes offered In Tertiary Agricultural Institutions for the implementation of rural agricultural development
INSTRUCTION: Please use the rating scale below by circling (ΟΟΟΟ) to indicate the economic relevance of the
agricultural programmes offered in tertiary educational institutions in your area. The rating
scale is:
1(Very Strongly Disagree); 2(Strongly Disagree); 3(Disagree); 4(Strongly Agree) and 5(Very Strongly Agree) CODE 3:00
RESPONSE STATEMENT RATING SCALE
3:01 Tertiary Agricultural education and extension programs are relevant to agricultural development
1 2 3 4 5
3:02 Tertiary agricultural education and extension programs are very theoretical
1 2 3 4 5
3:03 The graduates of Tertiary agricultural education and extension programs lack knowledge and skills in agriculture subject matter
1 2 3 4 5
3:04 The graduates of tertiary agricultural education and extension programs have understanding of the link between rural development and tertiary agricultural institutions.
1 2 3 4 5
3:05 There is no link between tertiary agricultural education institutions and rural development
1 2 3 4 5
3:06 Tertiary agricultural education institutions’ out-reach programs are relevant to agricultural development
1 2 3 4 5
3:07 Tertiary agricultural education and extension graduates have helped me 1 2 3 4 5
70
to improve on my agricultural production
3:08 Tertiary agricultural education have made food accessible and affordable 1 2 3 4 5
3:09 Income generating level of farmers have increased as a result of tertiary education programmes
1 2 3 4 5
3:10 Farmers skills and knowledge have improved as a result of tertiary agricultural education
1 2 3 4 5
3:11 Tertiary education programmes have made the use modern technology possible.
1 2 3 4 5
3:12 Farm sizes have increased as a result of tertiary education programmes offered in these institutions
1 2 3 4 5
3:13 Much improvement in pest and diseases control due to tertiary educational programmes offered in these institutions.
1 2 3 4 5
3:14 Tertiary agricultural education programmes spurred people to improve their market and storage facilities
1 2 3 4 5
315 Adult Education in the area of agricultural has considerably improved as a result of agricultural programmes offered in tertiary institutions.
1 2 3 4 5
3:16 Livestock production has improved due to agricultural programmes offered in tertiary institutions
1 2 3 4 5
Focus Group Discussion Guide for Rural Agricultural Communities
Challenges of Agriculture Programmes
1. How many of you studied agriculture beyond secondary school? 2. If you did, at what level did you study ? 3. In what ways have you used the knowledge you gained from college? 4. Do you know any one who studied agriculture at college? 5. If you do how has this person’s knowledge help you in your agriculture practice? 6. Do you receive advice on agriculture? 7. If so where do you get this advice? 8. How relevant do you find this advice? 9. Do you always put this advice into practice? If yes do you find it useful? if no why? 10. Do you get good proceeds from your farm? 11. Do you raise livestock in your community ? 12. Which group of livestock do you raise? 13. Do you grow crops? 14. What type of crops do you grow? 15. Do you undertake income generating activities in your communities? 16. How often do you undertake such income generating activities? 17. Do you involve every body in such income generating activities? 18. Do you have enough food in your community as a result of your agricultural practices? 19. Do you have market facilities for your agricultural products? 20. How do you preserve perishable crops such as cassava?
71
21. Do you have stores for your proceeds? 22. Do you make use of new farming ideas on your farm? 23. Where do you get these ideas from? How often do you get these ideas?
58