ABSTRACT
The study sought to identify the entrepreneurial skills required by Agricultural Education graduates in hydroponic gardening in southeast Nigeria. Five purposes guided the study; five research questions and five hypotheses were answered and tested respectively at .05 level of significance. Related literature was reviewed under conceptual, theoretical, empirical framework and summary of reviewed related literature. Survey research design was adopted for the study. The population of the study was 119 which comprised 75 crop production lecturers and 44 horticultural lecturers in the study area and this made up the total sample size because it is manageable. A structured questionnaire developed from the literature reviewed was used for data collection. The questionnaire was divided into parts A-F. Part A sought information on the respondent’s relevant personal characteristics and academic specializatiosn while parts B-G sought information in line with the purpose of study. Part B had 17 items, part C had 13 items, part D had 14 items, part E had 18 items, part F had 31 items, making it a total of 93 items. Each of Parts B-F had 4 response options of highly required (H.R)- 4 points, moderately required (M.R)-3 points, slightly required (S.R)-2 points and not required (N.R)- 1 point. The questionnaire was face validated by 5 validates in the field of Agricultural Education, crop science and crop research institute while Cronbach alpha was used to determine the internal consistency of 0.83. 119 copies of the questionnaire were administered to the crop production and horticultural lecturers in the study area with the help of 5 research assistants and all copies were retrieved (100%) and analyzed using mean and standard deviation for answering research questions and t-Test to test the null hypothesis. The study found out that the entrepreneurial skills required by agricultural education graduates in hydroponic gardening in southeast Nigeria were; 17 items in planning; 13 items in setting up a hydroponic greenhouse; 14 items in preparation of hydroponic nutrient solution; 17 items in plant establishment, and 30 items in management. It was also found that there was no significant difference between the mean responses of crop production and horticultural lecturers on the five hypotheses tested on the entrepreneurial skills required by agricultural education graduates in hydroponic gardening in southeast Nigeria. The study concluded that the findings were the basic skills required by graduates in hydroponic gardening. Among the recommendations made were that vocational skill acquisition centers should be established by the State government and the items used to form a module for training the graduates in hydroponic gardening, and that the identified skills should be properly articulated into secondary school agriculture (crop husbandry) by the Ministry of Education
TABLE
OF CONTENTS
Cover
page i
Title
page ii
Declaration
iii
Certification
iv
Dedication
v
Acknowledgement
vi
Table
of contents vii
List
of table xi
Abstract
xi
CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION
1.1
Background to the Study 1
1.2
Statement of the Problem 7
1.3
Purpose of the Study 8
1.4
Significance of the Study 9
1.5
Research Questions 11
1.6
Hypotheses 11
1.7
Scope of the Study 12
CHAPTER 2: REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
2.1
Conceptual Framework 13
2.1.1 Concept of entrepreneurial skills in
hydroponic gardening 13
2.1.2 Concept of hydroponic gardening 14
2.1.3 Entrepreneurial skills in planning for
hydroponic gardening 34
2.1.4 Entrepreneurial skills in setting up a
hydroponic green house 44
2.1.5 Entrepreneurial skills in preparation of
hydroponic nutrient solution 48
2.1.6
Entrepreneurial skills in plant
establishment for hydroponic gardening 64
2.1.7 Entrepreneurial skills in the management of
a hydroponic garden 69
2.2
Theoretical Framework 79
2.2.1
Theory of entrepreneurship 79
2.2.2
Theory of skill acquisition 86
2.2.3
Agricultural production theory 93
2.3
Empirical Studies 101
2.4 Summary of Related Literature Reviewed 106
CHAPTER 3: METHODOLOGY
3.1
Design of the study 108
3.2
Area of the Study 108
3.3
Population of the Study 109
3.4
Sample and Sampling Techniques 110
3.5
Instrument for Data Collection 110
3.6 Validation of the instrument 110
3.7 Reliability of the instrument 111
3.8
Method of Data Collection
111
3.9
Method of Data Analysis 112
CHAPTER 4: RESULTS AND
DISCUSSION
4.1: Results 113
4.2:
Findings of the Study 125
4.3:
Discussion of the Findings 129
CHAPTER
5: SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS
5.1 Summary 134
5.2 Conclusion 136
5.3 Recommendations 136
5.4 Educational Implications of the Study 137
5.5 Limitations of the Study 138
5.6 Suggestions for Further Studies 138
References 139
Appendices
149
LIST OF TABLES
2.1.2:
Types of crops grown hydroponically 18
2.1.3:
Hydroponic garden diary 43
2.1.4:
Life expectancy and transmission of greenhouse glazing material 45
2.1.5:
Oxygen content in fresh water . 51
2.1.5;
plant dry tissue nutrient concentration. 53
2.1.5;
plant nutrient uptake 57
2.1.5;
list of fertilizers used in preparing nutrient solution 58
2.1.5
Nutrient range in nutrient solution 59
2.1.5
Nutrient requirement for different plant parts 60
2.1.5;
factors influencing plant water uptake 73
3.3:
Distribution of schools and crop production lecturers in southeast 109
4.1;
Mean rating and standard deviation of respondents on entrepreneurial skills
required
by agricultural education graduates in planning for hydroponic garden. 113
4.2:
t-test Analysis of the
Mean Ratings of Crop Production and Horticultural
Lecturers on the Entrepreneurial Skills Required
by Agricultural Education
Graduates in Planning for Hydroponic Gardening. 114
4.3:
Mean rating and standard deviation of respondents on entrepreneurial skills
required
by agricultural education graduates in setting up a hydroponic greenhouse. 116
4.4:
t-test Analysis of the
Mean Ratings of Crop Production and Horticultural
Lecturers on the Entrepreneurial Skills Required
by Agricultural Education
Graduates in setting up a hydroponic greenhouse in
southeast Nigeria. 117
4.5:
Mean rating and standard deviation of respondents on entrepreneurial skills
required
by agricultural education graduates in preparation of hydroponic nutrient
solution
in southeast Nigeria 118
4.6: t-test Analysis of the Mean Ratings of Crop
Production and Horticultural
Lecturers on the Entrepreneurial Skills Required
by Agricultural Education
Graduates in preparation of hydroponic nutrient
solution in southeast Nigeria. 119
4.7:
Mean rating and standard deviation of respondents on entrepreneurial skills
required
by agricultural education graduates in plant establishment for hydroponic
gardening
in southeast Nigeria 120
4.8: t-test Analysis of the Mean Ratings of Crop
Production and Horticultural
Lecturers on the Entrepreneurial Skills Required
by Agricultural Education
Graduates in plant establishment for hydroponic
gardening in southeast Nigeria. 121
4.9:
Mean rating and standard deviation of respondents on entrepreneurial skills
required
by agricultural education graduates in the management of hydroponic
garden
in southeast Nigeria 123
4.10:
t-test Analysis of the
Mean Ratings of Crop Production and Horticultural
Lecturers on the Entrepreneurial Skills Required
by Agricultural Education
Graduates in the management of hydroponic garden
in southeast Nigeria. 124
CHAPTER
1
INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND
TO THE STUDY
It is no news that a lot of efforts
and resources are been put in to curb unemployment and food insecurity in
today’s world especially in Nigeria where unemployment and poverty are rated
among the world’s worst. However investing in agriculture can help boost a
nation’s economy, while possession of entrepreneurial skills within the
agricultural sector is regarded as the most potent means of tackling these
threats. The teeming population has outweighed the
available agricultural food products which to man is the only means for food,
(Oriola, 2009).
The country and its epileptic educational system lack the required
entrepreneurial culture that could help inculcate skills that graduates could
utilize to be gainfully employed upon graduation (Asogwa & Isiwu 2017).
The high pace of development in any
nation can only be achieved through innovation, creativity, enterprise of the
citizens as was the case in Malaysia, Brazil, and India among many other
nations of the world (Uko, Ugboaja, Ibe, and Obunadike (2016). The authors also
stated that the case of Nigeria could be attributed to the countries lack of
sufficient entrepreneurial culture within its education systems as well as
graduates lack of appropriate entrepreneurial skills.
The poor entrepreneurial culture in the nations education
system could be attributed to government, education stakeholders and lecturers
incompetency to inculcate entrepreneurial skills into graduates, hence make
agricultural education graduates rely on white collar jobs where there are non
to be found (Asogwa & Isiwu (2017). There is then every need for crop
production lecturers, horticultural lecturers, and other agricultural education
stakeholders such as the Agricultural Development Program (ADP) extension
agents to re-strategize on effective ways of producing skilled graduates from
different tertiary institutions as this would help imbibe entrepreneurial
skills and make graduates become gainfully employed by becoming successful
entrepreneurs.
Entrepreneurship
is defined as the traditional processes of recognizing business opportunities,
mobilizing resources, and persisting to exploit these opportunity in any given
environment (Uko et
al., (2016). The authors further defined an
entrepreneur as a risk bearer, an innovator, a marketer, a promoter, and a
manager of a new business enterprise. Ikegwu (2014) is of the opinion that
entrepreneurship creates wealth and drastically reduces poverty and
unemployment, and also inculcate into the citizenry a creative and innovative
mindset that increases a country’s production. Entrepreneurship is the best way
to achieve technological transformation which a country could reach through the
innovative ideas that makes use of the opportunities that exist within the
market as through vocational training, skill acquisition, individuals are
employed gainfully (Ikegwu, 2014; Ebong & Asodike, 2011).
An entrepreneur must possess the required
entrepreneurial skills so as to be able to succeed. Possessing entrepreneurial
skills has in-fact become a must for both graduates and non-graduate alike, due
to the current economic situation in Nigeria. This therefore highlights the
need for agricultural opportunities to be identified, evaluated, and exploited,
seeking to sort out felt needs. In the view of Ndubuka and Oguzor (2017)
acquiring entrepreneurial skills is a means by which an individual gets
involved in different ways with their skills to do something productive from
which money could be earned to benefit the individual as well as his immediate
society. In Addition, Entrepreneurial skills, in the submission of Okeke, Ochu and
Agbulu (2016) is a graduates ability to take calculated risks while using their
inbuilt traits, financial capacity and other available resources in other to
make profit in any agricultural enterprise. Developing an entrepreneurial culture in the
nation’s education system is therefore considered essential to solving the
problem of graduate’s lack of jobs, (Barrnnger & Ireland, 2012). In this study, entrepreneurial
skills are the abilities of graduates to identify readily available resources
that could be efficiently combined with their personal characteristics as well
as their financial power to embark into hydroponic tomato gardening.
A graduate refers to someone
who has completed the requirements of an academic degree
in any accredited discipline of an educational institution; this is a common
perception on whom a graduate is. In addition, a graduate could also be an
individual in his youthful age or an adult that has completed the requirement
in any of his selected part time or regular program in a tertiary institution (Hornby, 2018). An agricultural education graduate on the other
hand is someone who has completed the requirements for a degree in agricultural
education discipline of an educational institution. Agricultural education is
one among other disciplines an individual could acquire a degree from the
faculty of education. However, within the context of this study, agricultural
education graduates are individuals who have successfully completed the course
of study and have been awarded an agricultural education degree and are able to
utilize hydroponic gardening skills identified by crop production and
horticultural lecturers in the production of tomato in other to be gainfully
employed.
Lecturers
are individuals who teach and train students in a tertiary institution. They
bring to the students new and innovative ways of improving lives after
graduation. Crop production and horticultural lecturer are crop scientists who
teach crop science in a tertiary institution. However, within the confines of
this study crop production and horticultural lecturers are individuals who
possess the required competencies in all the skills required to train other
individuals including graduates for successful hydroponic tomato gardening in
South East Nigeria. The increasing unemployment rate as well as food insecurity
has necessitated the search for improved crop production system to serve the
teaming demand and curb graduate unemployment, (Eje, 2018).
Starting
an agricultural enterprise is a function which involves the exploitation of
opportunities that exist within a country’s market system. In Nigeria today,
less than half the opportunities that exist in the agricultural sector is been
exploited. Nwala, Emenike and Amaghionyediwe (2017) listed amongst others,
agriculture and agro allied ventures as entrepreneurial opportunities that
exist in Nigeria, from which an enterprise could be established by a graduate.
Among the vast and trending areas in agriculture where a graduate could attempt
to establish himself, tomato gardening is one of the untapped agricultural
ventures that has not been fully exploited in the South East region of Nigeria,
Tomato
belongs to Solanaceae family, and botanically is called (Solanum lycopersicum L.) it is rated to be among the most popular home garden plants
and the second most consumed vegetable after potato (Solanum tuberosum L.)
in the world today. The species is native to South America, possibly Peru and
Ecuador, but was first domesticated in Mexico (Benton, 2007). In the mid-16th
century, tomato was introduced into Europe, primarily
for its herbal purposes (Nicola et al 2009). It was not recognized as a useful
vegetable until 1800, because it was considered poisonous and was solely grown
only for the beauty of its fruit (Isaac, Ernest, Etornam and Harrison (2015).
Today, tomato is widely grown in the world for its taste, color, flavor, and
nutrient contents. Tomato is processed into paste or eaten fresh. It
contributes to a healthy, well-balanced diet as it contains a very low calorie
level and is a good source of vitamin A, vitamin C, and minerals etc.
Consumption of tomatoes can reduce the risk of developing gastro enteric
diseases, such as colon, rectal, and stomach cancer. Finally, it is easily
digestible and its bright color stimulates appetite (Sainju and Dris, in Nicola
et al 2009).
Tomato
is a perennial plant, cultivated in over 166 countries (FAO 2008), with China ranking first in the world
tomato production with about 50 million tonnes followed by India with 17.5
million tones, whereas in Africa Egypt and Nigeria leads the way, (FAOSTAT,
2014). However in Nigeria today tomato is majorly produced in the Northern
region due to its favourable climatic conditions (Olanrewaju,
Jacobs, Suleiman, and Abubakar (2014). Also in the world today there is a
shift from the traditional soil production system to a controlled greenhouse
production system especially in areas with unfavourable soil and climate
conditions, and this trend is gradually evolving into one of the most cost
effective production systems in Nigeria today, (Nicola et al, 2009). Also among
the greenhouse systems employed today in the production of tomatoes,
hydroponics is regarded as the best because it reduces
the limitations and risk encountered by climatic factors, pest and diseases or
by seasonal growing of crops, while using the traditional soil system. There is therefore the need to
identify the entrepreneurial skills necessary for the production of tomato
using the hydroponic system.
Hydroponics
is a science which allows the growing of plants in a soilless
medium, a moist air, or an aquatic based environment (Chris, 2018). The growing
of these plants is made possible using mineral nutrient in solution forms to
feed the roots of the plants directly, without soil (Nichols, 2015). Growing
virtually any plant at any time of the year is made possible through this
means. Research has proven that hydroponics as an agricultural production
system has shown to have a high efficiency rating in regards to crop growth and
yield, water utility, space and energy cost when compared to traditional
cultivation method, (Maboko, et al
(2011), Fahey, (2012), Barbosa, Gadelha, Kublik, Proctor, Reichelm, Weissinger,
Wohlleb, & Halden, (2015).
Hydroponic
systems are versatile ranging from local backyard setups made from cheaper
building materials, to a more automated commercial system (Fahey, 2012).
Barbosa et al. (2015) recorded that a
variety of commercial crops are today grown using the hydroponic system
including tomatoes, cucumbers, pepper, eggplants, strawberries, and many more.
Furthermore data from USDA 2009 agriculture census recorded an increase in the
sales of crops grown in greenhouse from $31million in1988 to over $553.2million
in 2009 (Kibiti, 2017), in addition crops grown hydroponically accounted for
over 78% of these sales (USDA, 2011). Hydroponics is not only known for the
productions of crops, this system is also ideal for the growth of green fodder
for animal consumption (Bakshi, Wadhwa,
& Makkar, 2017) and Kibiti, 2017). Hydroponic production system is a
year-round growing system that produces a consistent quantity and quality of
livestock feed or green fodders regardless of weather conditions (Bakish, et al 2017 & Kibiti 2017). This
increase recorded by the USDA is an indicator that hydroponic gardening holds
the potential for serious economic boom for any nation if graduates could be
trained in the skills it requires especially in tomato production, since it is
among the vegetables vastly consumed in world today especially Nigeria,
(Nicola, Tibaldi and Fontana (2009).
The hydroponic production system has
emerged as an alternative to commercial soil based production for the
production of not only vegetables like, tomato, but also fruits like cucumber,
strawberries etc as well as the growth of crops such as wheat and rice (Onanuga
2013). Research by Natalia (2011) and Nemati et al (2011) show that rice grown hydroponically recorded higher
growth and yield. The sudden popularity
associated to hydroponics could be attributed to the dilapidating nature of
available farming land and the ever increasing pressure on land for
other agricultural activities, industrial activities and so on in other to feed
the ever growing human population (Bakshi
et al, 2017). The authors in
addition stated that hydroponics is a reliable alternative to augment the
traditional soil production system, as the system allows one to set up in any
urban location and in areas with adverse weather condition like that of the
South Eastern region of Nigeria (Du ploy et
al, (2012). Where poor agricultural production and food scarcity has
rendered most agricultural education graduates jobless and hungry, hydroponic tomato gardening holds
the potential of employing and feeding millions (Kibiti, 2017).
The initial startup capital might be
high as it is with all commercial agricultural enterprise, but on a long run
cost declines and profit rises, making hydroponic tomato
gardening more feasible, (Singh, 2012). This therefore calls for proper
integration of entrepreneurial skills in other to effectively utilize, organize
and combine resources such as land, labour and capital together as a single
unit focused at producing tomato hydroponically. Donnan
(2017) classified hydroponic crop production including tomato
gardening into planning, setting up a greenhouse, seed establishment,
preparation of a nutrient solution and management. Going further the author
explained planning skills to sort out decision on where, what and how to run
the hydroponic system. The greenhouse set up skills involves proper selection
and erecting of a standard greenhouse that could withstand harsh weather
conditions. Preparation of nutrient solution skills he defined to be the proper
preparation of nutrient salts, by making sure the these salts are properly
dissolved before applying to the plant. Seed establishment skills to be careful
nurturing of tomato
seeds to form seedlings that are to be transplanted into the hydroponic system.
While management skills entails all necessary and mandatory activities that
ensure healthy and successful hydroponic tomatoes gardening.
The entrepreneurial skills as it
concerns this study, however, is focused
in the planning, setting up a green house, nutrient solution preparation, seed
establishment and management of a hydroponic tomato
garden in South East Nigeria. If these skills are identified and used by
agricultural education graduates in South East Nigeria, in addition to both
state and federal government support to train unemployed graduates in
agricultural production, the menace of unemployment and food scarcity will
become a thing of the past.
South
East Nigeria is made up of 5 states namely: Imo, Abia, Anambra, Enugu, and
Ebonyi. The major economic activities of the region rely on commerce,
agriculture and sparingly oil. Agriculturally the region produces; oil palm,
yam, cashew, Cassava, and coco yam has the highest percentage. As a region the
states are meant to produce what it consumes but this is not the case in tomato
consumption as importation of all sorts of agricultural products as well as
tomato is the order of the day and this has further handicapped sustainable
agricultural production and increased the unemployment status of the region in
the country. There is therefore the need to augment the agricultural production
systems being practiced in South East Nigeria by identifying the skills
required in tomato gardening using improved agricultural systems like
hydroponics
that would be practiced alongside the traditional soil
agricultural production to help boost the tomato production and reduce
unemployment in the region.
1.2 STATEMENT
OF THE PROBLEM
The
alarming rate of graduate unemployment in Nigeria and South-East region in
particular begs for urgent attention. Despite her rich renewable and non-renewable resources
poverty in the South East region is worsening by the day.
With over 10,000 graduates coming out of national service at every quarter of
the year with no hope of finding any meaningful employment (Edeh, 2017). Also
the deteriorating nature of available land for farming due to mans neglect,
urbanization and abuse has also contributed to food scarcity and graduate
unemployment in one way or the other for those who wish to undertake farming as
an occupation. However, these three problems would be solved by a single
action, Hydroponics; which has been proven to be over 90 percent better when
compared to traditional soil production system with the following advantages, up to 90% more efficient use of
water, better use of space and location,
climate
control, no weeding required, better growth
rate, higher yield, no case of pest and disease,
saves time,
labour, and so on. Furthermore, government till this
day has channeled its effort of solving these challenges of unemployment and
food scarcity in one direction, by only focusing on the provision of finance,
inputs and planting materials and readjusting agricultural policies year in
year out, the latest of these policies being the Agricultural Promotion Policy
of 2016-2020, which is meant to create jobs and solve food insecurity
challenges amongst others. But job seeking, unemployed graduates lack the
entrepreneurial skills required to succeed in recent innovative agricultural
production system like the hydroponic tomato gardening.
The
fact that these graduates still lack the right entrepreneurial skills for
hydroponic tomato gardening makes the effort put in by government to seem less
productive, hence highlights the missing link between the teaming unemployed
graduates and the skills they require for this huge economically viable
enterprise called hydroponic tomato gardening. The worrisome nature of this
missing link has necessitated the need for this study. This study therefore
intend to close this gap, curb the situation and reduce unemployment rate to
the barest minimum as well as increase tomato production in the region by
investigating and identifying the entrepreneurial skills required by
agricultural education graduates for hydroponic tomato gardening in South East
Nigeria.
1.3 PURPOSE
OF THE STUDY
The purpose of this study is to identify
entrepreneurial skills required by agricultural education graduates in
hydroponic tomato gardening in South East Nigeria. Specifically the study tends
to:
1. Identify
entrepreneurial skills required by agricultural education graduates in planning
for hydroponic tomato gardening;
2. Ascertain
entrepreneurial skills required by agricultural education graduates in setting
up a hydroponic greenhouse;
3. Identify
entrepreneurial skills required by agricultural education graduates in the
preparation of tomato nutrient solution;
4. Ascertain entrepreneurial skills required by
agricultural education graduates in tomato seed establishment for hydroponic
tomato gardening and;
5. Determine
entrepreneurial skills required by agricultural education graduates in the
management of a hydroponic tomato garden;
1.4 SIGNIFICANCE
OF THE STUDY
The
findings of the study will be of benefit to graduates of agriculture,
lecturers, extension agents, rural farmers and policy makers, government, local
societies and national economic growth.
The
study would provide information on the skills required in hydroponic gardening
to the graduates of agriculture in South East Nigeria. The graduates would
acquire and apply the skills in hydroponic gardening for the production of
vegetables, fruits and other crops in and out of there seasons for sustainable
employment and food security.
The
findings of this study would be of great benefit to lecturers, as it would
provide information on the skills and knowledge required to effectively teach
hydroponics. They would utilize these skills and knowledge in preparing
instructions and lessons to be passed down to students as this will equip the
students with the skills and make them become self employed after graduation.
The
findings of this study would also be of tremendous benefit to extension agents,
because the information spelt out in this study will serve as a guide to
extension agents when planning instructions and lessons to be passed down to
the rural farmers and youths thereby making their job to run smoothly. It will
also help to source answers that might be posed to them by rural farmers who
may seem confused about how hydroponics works with regards to the variety of
crops it can sustain.
Through
the findings of this study, rural farmers would benefit immensely the
information on skills required in hydroponics.
By acquiring and utilizing these skills identified in this study made
known to them by extension agents, there would be a significant increase in
there tomato production efficiency, reduced lost through pest and disease
infestation, increase in their production interval, rate, efficient utilization
of space and maintenance of the hydroponic system, etc. In this condition,
famers in general will record more profit to better their lives.
Policy
makers and government at all levels would also find the findings of this study
useful as it will provide relevant information needed to train youths in
agriculture. The information will not only serve as an eye opener to the
government but will also stair them to the right directions as to what
techniques, skills and knowledge these unemployed graduates require so as to
include them in their policies and make government efforts to reduce
unemployment more effective.
The
local society would also benefit abundant food availability from the findings
of this study, because when the skills and knowledge essential for hydroponic
tomato gardening are acquired and adopted by unemployed graduates, tomato
production will be increased thereby leading to abundant availability of it and
consequently reduced cost of this produce food at the market instead of the
scarcity and increased cost which is order of the day in entire society today.
More
so, the findings of the study would be of a huge support to the improvement and
development of the state and national economy since the level of skill
possessed and utilized by a nation’s citizenry is one of the greatest
determinants of the nation’s economic growth. When these skills are made known,
acquired and adopted by the graduates in their agricultural production, more
tomato will be commercially produced to serve the state, nation and exported to
boast the country’s economy.
When
the above benefits are accrued to the beneficiaries, it will justify the need
for this study.
1.5 RESEARCH QUESTIONS
The following research
questions were answered in this study.
1. What
are the entrepreneurial skills required by agricultural education graduates in
planning for hydroponic tomato gardening?
2. What
are the entrepreneurial skills required by agricultural education graduates in
setting up a hydroponic greenhouse?
3. What
are the entrepreneurial skills required by agricultural education graduates in
preparation of tomato nutrient solution?
4. What
are the entrepreneurial skills required by agricultural education graduates in
tomato seed establishment for hydroponic tomato gardening?
5. What
are the entrepreneurial skills required by agricultural education graduates in
the management of a hydroponic tomato garden?
1.6 HYPOTHESES
Five hypotheses were formulated for this
study and they are as follows;
H01. There
is no significant difference between the mean ratings of crop production
lectures and horticultural lecturers on the entrepreneurial skills required by
agricultural education graduates in planning for hydroponic tomato gardening.
H02.
There is no significant difference between the mean ratings of crop production
lectures and horticultural lecturers on the entrepreneurial skills required by
agricultural education graduates in setting up a hydroponic greenhouse.
H03.
There is no significant difference between
the mean ratings of crop production lectures and horticultural lecturers on the
entrepreneurial skills required by agricultural education graduates in the
preparation of tomato nutrient solution.
H04.
There is no significant difference between
the mean ratings of crop production lectures and horticultural lecturers on the
entrepreneurial skills required by agricultural education graduates in tomato seed
establishment for hydroponic tomato gardening.
H05.
There is no significant difference between
the mean ratings of crop production lectures and horticultural lecturers on the
entrepreneurial skills required by agricultural education graduates in management
of a hydroponic tomato garden.
1.7 SCOPE
OF THE STUDY
This study only seeks to
investigate and identify the entrepreneurial skills agricultural education
graduates require in hydroponic tomato gardening in South East Nigeria.
Therefore this study is limited to only South-Eastern part of Nigeria, which is
made of five states which includes; Imo, Abia, Anambra, Enugu, and Ebonyi
state. Also the study covers only the entrepreneurial skill in planning,
setting up a greenhouse, nutrient solution formulation, seed establishment, and
management of a hydroponic tomato gardening enterprise.
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