Entrepreneurial Skills Required by Agricultural Education Students in Tertiary Institutions for Fish Pond Application of Organic Manure and Water Management in Rivers State

Abstract

This study focused on the entrepreneurial skills required by agricultural education students in tertiary institutions for fish pond application of organic manure and water management in Rivers State. Three objectives and three research questions guided and answered in the study. The population of the study was 64, comprises of lecturers in the department of agricultural education in tertiary institutions in Rivers State and extension officers working with Rivers State agricultural development programme (RSADEP). Census sampling technique was used due to manageable size of the population. The instrument used for data collection was structured research questionnaire. Mean and standard deviation were used in answering the research questions. The finding of the study among others shows that entrepreneurial skills required by agricultural education students in tertiary institutions for fish pond application of organic manure are; the doses and methods of application, procurement of organic manure, identifying organic composition that will give more growth to planktons, preparation of organic manure, use of cow dung and oil cakes in the production of planktons in fish pond, measuring the depth of water, calculate water volume and then calculate quantity of manure to be applied in the fish pond, principle of application of manure in fish pond, when to stop applying manure in fish pond and identifying when manure is required in fish pond. While the skills required for fish pond water management are; test for hydrogen ion in fish pond water, post fish stocking water management, culture of fishes in brackish water and marine water bodies, water quality monitoring, maintaining water quality in respect to acidic, alkalinity and turgidity of fish farm water, understanding water storage and Treatment, maintaining depth of water in different types of fish pond, water management with respect to quality and quantity (flooding) and calculating water volume in fish Pond. It was therefore recommended among others that, undergraduate students in tertiary institutions should be properly taught on how to apply organic manure, especially if earthy pond facility is to be used in order to enhance easy growth of planktons (fish food). Also, Government should organize seminars and workshops for lecturers and extension officers in order to equip them with the task of teaching