Skills Required by Farmers in the Processing of Cassava into Flour to Combat Hunger in a Depressed Economy in Kogi State, Nigeria

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to identify the skills required by farmers in the processing of cassava into flour for increased income generation in Kogi state, Nigeria. In line with the specific purpose of the study, one research question and one corresponding null hypothesis were formulated to guide the study. The survey research design was adopted for the study. The sample for the study was 100, comprising of 80 Extension Agents and 20 farmers of cassava purposively drawn from a population of 674 registered farmers and 256 Extension Agents from three randomized Local Government Areas using Cluster sampling technique. Instrument for data collection was a structured questionnaire validated by three experts in the Department of Vocational Education, University of Calabar with a Cronbach alpha coefficient of 0.87. The Independent t-test was used to test the hypothesis at the 0.05 level of significance. The result of the analysis revealed that there is no significant difference in the mean rating of Extension Agents and cassava farmers with the skills required for processing cassava into flour. Based on the findings, it was recommended that these skills should be packaged into a training programme for farmers by Extension Agents to train farmers in order to improve their processing of cassava tubers into flour.