Dr Michael Mbuyazwe Dlamini, Prof Isaac Okeme, Dr Ratietie Ubi Ofem & Rose Onyemowo Okeme
Abstract
This study sought to identify entrepreneurial skill improvement needs for self-reliance by cassava farmers in post-conflict communities of Central Senatorial Zone of Cross River State. It was guided by two (2) research questions with corresponding hypotheses. Survey research design was adopted for the study. The population of the study was made up of 1,434 registered farmers from six (6) Local Government Areas of Central Senatorial zone. Stratified and purposive sampling techniques were used in selecting 287 registered cassava farmers, being 20% of the population. The main instruments for data collection were two sets of questionnaires titled “Entrepreneurial Skills Required by Cassava Farmers Questionnaire” (ESRCFQ) and “Entrepreneurial Skills Performance in Cassava Enterprise Questionnaire” (ESPCEQ). Reliability of the instruments was established using Cronbach alpha; the reliability coefficients ranged from.83 to .93. Data collected was analyzed using weighted mean and Improvement Needs Index (INI) to answer the research questions, and t-test to test the hypotheses at .05 level of significance. The results of the study revealed that cassava farmers need improvement in their production skills and processing skills. Based on the findings of the study, it was recommended, among others, that cassava farmers need training in skills gap areas identified.