Effective Teaching and Learning of Agricultural Science for Food Security and National Sustainability

Abstract

Agro-economy-based nations rarely experience food insecurity. Such nations have already set machinery in motion towards achieving one of the Millennium Development Goals MDGs, which emphasizes on eradicating extreme poverty and hunger. This could be the major reason, developing nations like Nigeria that has been a mono-economy-based nation is leaving no stones unturned to restore and reposition its agricultural sector. Introduction of agricultural science in secondary school curriculum in Nigeria is a worthwhile effort towards adequate food security by equipping the grater percent of the youths. The study investigated effective teaching and learning of agricultural science for food security and national sustainability. It was a descriptive survey design. All the 267 principals and all the 513 agricultural science teachers in the 267 public secondary schools in Abia state of Nigeria form the sample size i.e. 780 respondents. Two research questions and one null hypothesis guided the study. The instrument for data collection was a 26 item researchers’ made structured questionnaire built on a 4-point rating scale. The reliability index values of 0.88 and 0.85 were obtained using Cronbach alpha technique. Content and face validity were established by two experts. Means and grand means were used to answer the research questions while ANOVA statistic tool was used to test for the hypothesis at 0.05 level of significance. Findings indicated the following: teachers’ qualifications matter in achieving quality teaching and learning of agricultural science; majority of the teachers are non degree holders; some degree holders are non-professionals; learning of the subject is more of theoretical; traditional classroom-based method of teaching and learning; inadequate facilities; means of updating knowledge were inadequate etc. Based on the findings, recommendations were made.

DOI: 10.5901/jesr.2013.v3n4p161