Agricultural Knowledge of Students and their Awareness about the Role of Universities in Development Regional and Local Development Studies (Rlds)

Tafesse, Teshome (2003) Agricultural Knowledge of Students and their Awareness about the Role of Universities in Development Regional and Local Development Studies (Rlds). Masters thesis, Addis Ababa University.

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Abstract

The objective of this study was to assess and compare the difference between the mean agricultural knowledge scores of first year university students, when grouped by their high school agricultural education and place of birth background, and to determine their awareness about the role of universities in development particularly in solving the problem of food insecurity in Ethiopia. A sample consisting of 148 students was selected using Equal Probability Selection Method. The study instrument was developed, validated by group of experts, tested and administered to the sample of students. A survey was conducted in April 2003. The means comparison, ANOVA and Independent Samples t-Tests using SPSS PC version10 was employed to analyse the data at 0.05 alpha level. The dependent variables (summated scores of agricultural knowledge ranging from 0-30 and summated score of awareness ranging from 1-5) and the independent variables (dichotomous values of high school agricultural education and place of birth background) were entered into mean comparison and ANOVA test model. The result revealed that there exists mean difference between both test groups. Students with high school agricultural education scored M=19.6 and with no agricultural education M=12.8. Students with rural background scored M=17.5 whereas with urban background scored M=16.4. The mean difference between students grouped by their high school agricultural education found to be significant (P=0.00) where as the mean difference between students grouped by their place of birth revealed to be not significant (P=0.189). This result was further verified by using Independent Samples t-Test for both groups and the result revealed (P=0.00 for first group and P=0.176 for the second group) which was similar to the ANOVA tests. Furthermore, Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) econometrics model was conducted using GiveWin statistical package to estimate the extent by which the value of dependent variable is explained by the independent variable. To this end, four lag OLS test revealed (R^2= 0.56 and DW=1.39) that 56% of the agricultural knowledge of students can be explained by their previous high school agricultural education background. The awareness section mean score was M=1.9 for students with high school agricultural education and M=2.4 for students with no agricultural education background. This indicates that students with high school agricultural education have a good awareness about agriculture and agricultural higher education. More than 60% of students support the integration of Universities in the national agricultural research and extension system. It was finally concluded that offering agricultural education at high school level would help to build agricultural knowledge and awareness of the future generation. Further national survey research is warranted to determine the importance of offering agricultural education courses at all levels of schooling and designing policies or national guidance to integrate Universities in the development process particularly integrating them in to the federal/regional agricultural research and extension systems.

Item Type:	Thesis (Masters)
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Agricultural Knowledge, University, and Awareness
Subjects:	H Social Sciences > H Social Sciences (General) S Agriculture > S Agriculture (General)
Divisions:	Africana
Depositing User:	Geoffrey Obatsa
Date Deposited:	21 May 2019 11:34
Last Modified:	21 May 2019 11:34
URI:	http://thesisbank.jhia.ac.ke/id/eprint/9218

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