REAPPRAISING AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION FOR FUNCTIONALITY AND SELF RELIANCE: ISSUES AND CHALLENGES

This paper tries to reappraise Agricultural Education as a discipline with reference to the philosophy and goals laid down in the National Policy on Education for functionality and self-reliance. Agricultural science is as old as the history of education in Nigeria. Vocational agricultural programme is specifically designed to provide knowledge and practical skills in areas of agriculture such as Crop production, Animal husbandry, Soil science, Horticulture, Fisheries, Forestry and Wild life; Agricultural economics and Extension, Agricultural education, Agricultural engineering, Agricultural marketing, Agricultural financing etc. The knowledge and practical skills acquired can be used to provide not only self-employment, but to be employers of labour in the long run. Agricultural education is faced with certain challenges or constraints which stops or retards the achievement of the set objectives. Some of these constraints are: Lack of credit facilities, limited facilities, inadequate funds, corruption, and diversion of equipment and unwholesome practices of fertilizer distribution, high teacher-students ratio. Continuous dependence on others for food, shelter, income, employment are some of the effects of neglecting Agricultural education. If the government intensifies her efforts through providing adequate funds for agricultural education programmes and monitoring the way the funds are being utilized, providing adequate functional facilities etc lots of practical skills will be imparted; hence more viability and self-reliance. Government should provide adequate funds, functional equipment/facilities and loan-facilities to credible farmers with low interest rate and for a reasonable duration. The Government should also monitor the way inputs like seeds and fertilizers are being shared. Students going for students’ Industrial Experience Scheme