ABSTRACT

The study sought to determine the Agripreneurial information needs of small scale farmers for sustainable pig production in Imo State. Survey research design was adopted. The study had 7 research questions, 7 purposes and 7 corresponding research questions. The population of the study was 285 subjects comprising of 213 registered small scale pig farmers and 72 agricultural extension agents in the State. Census sampling was adopted so all the entire population was used because the members of the population were accessible and manageable. A structured questionnaire containing 126 items was the instrument used for data collection. The questionnaire contained two sections, A and B. Section A focused on the relevant bio data of respondents while section B focused on the purpose of the study and the research questions. The questionnaire was structured in a four point scale. The instrument was validated by three validates who were experts in Agricultural Education and Measurement and Evaluation. Reliability of the instrument was established using Cronbach alpha method and a reliability index of .72 was obtained. The instrument was administered by the researcher and two research assistants. Out of the 285 copies distributed, 282 copies representing 99% of the questionnaires were retrieved and analyzed using mean, standard deviation and z-test. A cut off mean of 2.50 was established and any item mean below this point was rejected while those from the point above were accepted. The null hypotheses of any item whose calculated value was less than the Table value was accepted and vice visa. It was found that there are 15 items for agipreneurial information in planning, 15 items for agripreneurial information in housing, 26 items for agripreneurial information in breeding, 23 items for agripreneurial information in feeding, 21 items for agripreneurial information in health management, 13 items for agripreneurial information in processing and 13 items for agripreneurial information in marketing. It was concluded that there were 126 agripreneurial information needed by small scale pig farmers for sustainable production in Imo State. Among the recommendations made were that State Government should build and equip skill acquisition centers for farmers to utilize in gaining necessary information to improve their pig production business. The Government through the Ministry of Agriculture should organize seminars or workshops in the built centers to expose farmers to the identified agripreneurial information and that the identified information should be used to develop non-formal teaching curriculum for farmers in out of school programs.