Capacity building needs of entrepreneurial skills of yam farmers in Ekiti State, Nigeria

Abstract

This study examined the capacity building needs of entrepreneurial skills among yam entrepreneur farmers in Ekiti state, Nigeria. Data were collected on respondents’ socio economic characteristic, task and skill gap of entrepreneurial activities. Data were analysed with frequency, percentage, mean and multiple regression analysis. Findings shows that respondents were fairly old (mean age=55years), literate (67.5%), small-scale (mean= 0.96 hectare farm size) and household size (mean=6persons). Respondents had low proficiency and needed to be trained for capacity building for sourcing and use of necessary farm tools/machinery (mean=1.85), operating farm machinery (mean=1.21), processing yam tubers into different products (mean=2.28), sourcing for fund to finance yam farming and processing activities (mean=1.75), value addition skills in processing yam tuber to different products (mean=2.41), packaging skills of yam produce and processed products (mean=2.66), keeping basic records of farm income and expenses(mean=2.44), planning, prioritising and organising yam farming tasks (mean=2.26), assessing and managing yam enterprise risks (mean=1.22), precautionary practices against yam enterprise related hazards (mean=2.34), identifying and cooperating with government bodies (mean=1.54), team working skills, and persuasive communication and negotiation skills (mean=2.36). The study concluded that yam entrepreneur farmers are had low proficiency in several yam entrepreneurial skills. It was therefore recommended that yam entrepreneur farmers in Ekiti State should be trained in the needed areas of yam entrepreneurial skills.