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Contribution of university farms to teaching and learning of agricultural science in Ghana

Ghana Journal of Development Studies

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Title Contribution of university farms to teaching and learning of agricultural science in Ghana
 
Creator Lawson, Innocent YD
Brew, Christine
 
Subject


 
Description The study was carried out to assess the extent to which university farms contribute to the teaching and learning of agricultural science in the five state universities of Ghana. The universities are the University of Ghana, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, University of Cope Coast, University of Education and University of Development Studies. In the process, the study examined causes or reasons for graduate low interest in pursuing farming careers. Semi-structured questionnaires were prepared for undergraduates and lecturers. Snowball and random sampling techniques were used in this study. The study revealed that agricultural science is best learnt at both farm and lecture room. The study also indicated that university farms help in acquiring practical skills and it is necessary for teaching the principles of the course. However, the study revealed that a large number of undergraduates are not equipped with the needed practical skills and the confidence to go into farming on leaving the university. The main factors identified for this gap were the lack of supervision, lack of basic and modern facilities on the farms, lack of motivation, inadequate funds, and inadequate time allotted for practical on the farms. It is therefore recommended that university authorities should link with private and state farms that have modern and basic facilities/equipment so that these farms can serve as alternative sources for imparting practical skills to students. The universities could introduce income generating venture to assist in the purchases of some facilities. It is also recommended that the time for practical work be increase and supervised practical work possibly instituted. This should enable lecturers to spend more time on the supervision of students' practical work on the university farms. Finally, well-trained farm staff should be employed to support fieldwork.
Ghana Journal of Development Studies Vol.1(1) 2004: 110-126
 
Publisher Faculty of Integrated Development Studies, University for Development Studies, Ghana
 
Contributor
 
Date 2005-07-28
 
Type info:eu-repo/semantics/article
info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion
Peer-reviewed Article

 
Format application/pdf
 
Identifier https://www.ajol.info/index.php/gjds/article/view/35003
10.4314/gjds.v1i1.35003
 
Source Ghana Journal of Development Studies; Vol 1, No 1 (2004); 110-126
0855-6768
 
Language eng
 
Relation https://www.ajol.info/index.php/gjds/article/view/35003/24924
 
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Rights © 2018 The authors.The Ghana Journal of Development Studies is published twice a year (May & October) by the Faculty of Integrated Development Studies as a service to development related research.No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any means; electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording or otherwise, without the written authorisation of the publisher and copyright owner.The content is licensed uder a CC-BY license.