ENTREPRENEURIAL SKILLS IMPROVEMENT NEEDS OF SMALL-SCALE FARMERS IN FEEDING FISH AND FISH HEALTH CARE MANAGEMENT IN TARABA STATE, NIGERIA.

Abstract

The study determined entrepreneurial skills improvement needs of small-scale fish farmers in Taraba State. Two objectives translated into two research questions guided the study. The study adopted descriptive survey research design. The population for the study was 460 comprising of 400, small scale fish farmers and 60 extension agents. The sample size is 260 respondents. Using proportionate stratified simple random sampling, 200 fish farmers were chosen to participate in the study while purposive sampling technique was used to include the entire extension worker in this study. A 19 items skills questionnaire titled “entrepreneurial skill improvement needs of fish farmers questionnaire (ESINFQ) which had four point rating scale was employed. Three expert faces validated the questionnaire. The reliability co-efficient of the instrument was computed using cronbach Alpha method which yielded co-efficient of 0.085. The research questions posed were answered using weighted mean and improvement needed index (INI). Finding revealed that small scale fish farmers needs entrepreneurial skills in all the nine items on feeding fish and 10 entrepreneurial skills on fish health care management identified by the study. Based on these findings, it was recommended that training programmes in form of workshop, seminar and short duration courses could be organized by extension agents for small scale fish farmers to improve their skills in fish feeding and healthcare management.