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The study identifies technical training skills needs of youth for sustainable job security in rice production in Ebonyi State, Nigeria. This study was carried out in secondary schools in three educational zones in Ebonyi State, Nigeria. Ebonyi state is one of the states in the southeast geopolitical zone in Nigeria. Descriptive survey design was adopted for this study. Target population was 317 made up of 300 registered rice farmers, 5 Agricultural education lecturers and 12 Agricultural extension agents. Sample for the study was 267. Simple random sampling technique was used in selecting the respondents. Four research questions guided the study. The instrument used for data collection was structured questionnaire developed by the researchers. Three experts validate the instrument, one expert from Measurement and Evaluation, Department of science education and two from Agricultural education option, in Technology Vocational Education in the same Ebonyi State University Abakaliki. The Cronbach Alpha reliability coefficient was used to test the internal consistency of the item statement and the reliability co-efficient of 0.78 was found. Instruments were administered to respondents. Data collected were analyzed using mean and standard deviation, result revealed that table 2, 3 and 4 all the items statement were needed with 2.50 and above while table 1 item 10 and 11 statements were not needed with mean score below 2.50. Among the recommendations made was that the technical training skills identified should be used in train youth for maximum rice production in Ebonyi State.

The purpose of the study is to identify the skills required by secondary school Graduates for breeding and rearing Giant African Land Snail (GALS) in Ebonyi State. Three research questions guided the study. The design was descriptive survey. The total population was 254 agricultural science Teachers in junior and senior secondary schools in Ebonyi State. PRS, (2014). A random sampling techniques was used by balloting and replacement to collect sample size of one hundred and fifty four (154) Agricultural Science Teachers in the study area. Structural questionnaire was developed by the researchers for data collection. The instrument has four point rating scale of strongly required, required, not required and very not required (SR, R, NR, VNR) .The instrument was validated by three experts one in measurement and evaluation in the department of science education and two in Technology and Vocational Education (Agric Education) unit in the same Faculty of Education in Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki. Mean and standard deviation was used for answering research questions. Any item with mean score of 2.50 and above are regarded as required skills while mean score below 2.50 are regarded as not required skills. The study revealed that all the item statements had mean score of 2.50 and above. It implied that the identified skills were good enough for snail breeding and rearing by secondary schools Graduate. It show that skills in housing, in feeding, in routine management and disease control are the bases for breeding and rearing of Giant African Land Snail GALS. Among the recommendations made was that, improved stocks, housing material, feeding stuff and financial assistant should be given to the secondary school graduated by the government. While technical assistant from experienced rural snail farmers and agricultural science teachers should be given to secondary school graduate for snail breeding and rearing as young farmers.

This study was designed to investigate the extent of utilizing electrical equipment in poultry production in the rural areas of Ebonyi State, Nigeria. A survey research design was adopted for the study. Three research questions guided the study. The population for the study was 46 respondents comprising 16 Extension agents and 30 Poultry farmers. There was no sampling because of small population of the respondents. The instrument was validated by 3 experts, two in Vocational Agricultural Education unit of Technology and Vocational Education Department and one in measurement and evaluation of science Education Department, in the same faculty and university. Cronbach alpha reliability coefficient of the instrument was 0.82 which was good enough for the study. The instrument was administered to the respondents with the help of three research assistants in the three agricultural zones in the state. The data collected were analyzed using mean score and standard deviations. The study revealed (1) That 13 out of 18 electrical equipment items assessed are available in the poultry farms while 5 out of 18 electrical incubating equipment were not available. (2) That all the electrical watering and brooding equipment for poultry production were affordable. (3)That all the electrical feeding equipment was adequate for poultry production in all the farms as stated by the respondents among the recommendation made was that poultry farmers need to form cooperative society in order to procure necessary electrical equipment in their farms.

This study was designed to assess the agricultural engineering knowledge and competencies acquired by the senior secondary students for farm mechanization in technical colleges in Ebonyi state of Nigeria. A survey research design was adopted for the study. Three research questions and two null hypotheses guided the study. The population of the study was 1,858 comprising of 174 teachers and 1,684 final year students. A simple random sampling technique was used to select 370 as sample for the study. A structured questionnaire with 21 items was employed for the study. The instrument was face validated by 3 experts. Two of the experts from the Department of Technology and Vocational education while one specialist from measurement evaluation, all from Ebonyi State University; and the reliability coefficient of 0.183 was obtained using Cronbach alpha technique to determine the internal consistency of the instrument. The data collected were analyzed using weighted mean and standard deviation for the research questions white t-test statistics was used to test for the hypotheses at 0.05 level of significant. The result of the analysis of the data reveals that the students have the knowledge in recognizing and identifying tillage machines, tools and equipment but do not have the competencies in the use of tillage, planting, weeding and harvesting farm machines tools and equipment except the use of simple farm tools like hoe, spade and sickle. The result of the hypotheses showed that there was no significant difference in the opinions of the teachers and the students on the knowledge and the competencies acquired by the senior secondary students in agricultural engineering for farm mechanization. It was recommended among others that the teachers should expose the students more on the practical use of the tillage, planting, weeding and harvesting farm machines, tools and equipment.