PERCEIVED IMPACT OF HIGH SCHOOL AGRICULTURAL TRAINING ON COMMUNITY AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION IN MANZINI REGION OF SWAZILAND A. Jibowo, T. F. Maseko, Department of Agricultural Education and Extension and S. K. Thwala, Department of Educational Foundations and Management, University of Swaziland A Paper Presented at the16th BOLESWANA Symposium 12-14 July, 2016-University of Botswana

INTRODUCTION The level to which high school agriculture training makes an impact on community agricultural production in Manzini Region of Swaziland is scarcely known. Swaziland is a medium income country with about 74% of the population living in rural areas. About 25% experienced crop failure as a result of drought, flooding and hailstorm between 2000 and 2016. In 2016, a devastating drought resulted in a serious crop failure and death of livestock

INTRODUCTION CONTD. In addition to the efforts of the Ministry of Agriculture and NGOs, the school agriculture programme was to teach modern agriculture to High School students with the hope that they would put the knowledge and skills gained into practice on home farms, and also positively influence their parents to do the same.

Purpose and Objectives The purpose of the study was to determine the perceived impact of training through school agriculture programme on community agricultural production. Objectives 1. Describe knowledge and skills on improved agriculture gained by students, and those put into practice in agricultural production. 2. Determine knowledge and skill on improved farm practices gained by parents from students and those put into practice.

Objectives contd. 3. Describe the difference in knowledge and skills gained by students and parents and those put into practice. 4. Determine the perceived impact of school agricultural training on community food production. 5. Describe the relationship between demographic characteristics of students and impact of school agriculture training on community agricultural production.

METHODOLOGY Study Area and target population The study took place in Manzini Region of Swaziland. The target population consisted of final year students in High Schools and their parents. Instrumentation, validity, reliability, data collection and analysis The instrument for data collection was a questionnaire. It was validated by two lecturers at the University of Swaziland, and two agriculture teachers of a High school. Their comments were effected

Instrumentation, Validity, reliability, data collection and analysis Contd. to improve the instrument. A reliability coefficient, r of 0.82 was found by using Cronbach Alpha formula. Data were collected from randomly sampled 170 final year agriculture students from 5 High Schools in Manzini Region. Data were also collected from 50 randomly selected parents. Means, standard deviations, t-test and correlation analysis were employed for data analysis.

FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION Knowledge and skills gained by students High levels of knowledge and skills were gained by students in many areas of agricultural production. The areas include weed control (Mean M=4.89), storage (M= 4.88), poultry housing (M=4.37), Hand tools maintenance (M=4.30), top-dressing crops (M=4.24),crop rotation (M= 4.22), and eight other areas. No knowledge was gained in testing for soil PH.

FINDINGS AND DISCUSN. CONTD. Knowledge and skills applied by students High level of knowledge and skills was applied in eight (57%) out of 14 areas in which knowledge was gained. The areas in which knowledge was gained include crop storage (M= 4.25), hand tool maintenance (M=3.91), weed control (M=3.84), effects of invasive weeds (M=3.70), crop rotation (M=3.61), housing chickens (M=3.60), top- dressing crops (M=3.60) and applying basal fertilizer (M=3.51). Knowledge gained was more than knowledge applied in all cases. This finding is consistent with expectation because there is a limit to available resources to implement knowledge and skills gained at a particular time.

FINDINGS AND DISCUSN. CONTD. Knowledge and skills gained and applied by parents Parents did not gain appreciable knowledge and skill from students in any of the 15 areas of agricultural production studied (M˂3.50). Similarly, parents did not apply an appreciable knowledge in any of the 15 areas of agricultural production studied (M˂3.50).

FINDINGS AND DISCUSN. CONTD. Differences between knowledge gained and applied by students There was a significant difference between knowledge and skills gained and applied in all the 15 practices studied. This is because the t-values were significant at p=0.05 level. This is consistent to expectation because resources are limited to apply all the knowledge and skills gained at a time.

FINDINGS AND DISCUSN. CONTD. Knowledge and skills gained and applied by parents Although only some knowledge was gained by parents from students, there was a significant difference in knowledge and skills gained and applied by parents.

FINDINGS AND DISCUSN. CONTD. Knowledge and skills gained was more than knowledge and skills applied in all the 15 agricultural practices studied. This is because all the t-values were significant at p = 0. 05 level. This is consistent with expectation because all the knowledge gained, could not be applied at a time because resources are limited.

FINDINGS AND DISCUSN. CONTD. Impact of knowledge and skills gained on community agricultural productn by students There was a high impact (M≥3.50) of knowledge and skill gained by students on community agricultural production. The impact was high ((M≥3.50) on nine out of 15 practices included in the study. These included increased production of chicken, sweet potato, dried maize, green maize, beetroot, pawpaw, citrus, pumpkin and avocado.

FINDINGS AND DISCUSN. CONTD Association between demographic, school and farm characteristics of students and impact Age (r= -0.15), distance of farm from home (r=- 0.12), level of education of father (r=-0.26), and order of birth (r=-0.10) had a negative and low association with impact measured with yield increase. Impact decreased with increase in the characteristics.

FINDINGS AND DISCUSN. CONTD Location of school had a positive and low association with impact. Impact increased as the school location moved from urban to rural areas. This is consistent with expectation because rural areas had larger areas of land to practice agriculture and increase impact.

CONCLUSIONS Students gained knowledge and skills in school agricultural programmes, but rarely applied them. 2. The level of knowledge and skills gained from students and applied by parents in school agricultural programmes was low.

CONCLUSIONS 3. The school agricultural training had little impact on community agricultural production.

CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION 4. Demographic characteristics of students had negative and low association with impact of school agricultural training on the communities’ agricultural production.

CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION RECOMMENDATIONS The agriculture departments in High Schools should have an extension unit where parents of students can get help for community agricultural production. 2. Students should teach parents about knowledge and skills gained in high schools, apply these, and assist parents to apply such in agricultural production.

RECOMMENDATIONS CONTD. 3. Teachers should sometimes visit students and parents at home to teach them improved agricultural production skills and knowledge, and application of the same. 4. Teachers should encourage students to advise their parents in practicing community agricultural production.

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