ASSESSMENT OF TECHNICAL AND ENTREPRENEURIAL SKILLS NEEDED BY SNAIL FARMERS FOR FOOD SECURITY IN DELTA STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

This study assessed the technical and entrepreneurial skills needed by snail farmers for food security in Delta State, Nigeria. Three (3) research questions and three hypotheses were raised and formulated to guide the study respectively. The study adopted a descriptive survey research design and targeted a population of eighty-one (81) snail farmers. Due to the limited number of registered snail farms, all eighty-one (81) registered snail farmers were included in the study without sampling. Data was collected using a validated questionnaire titled Assessment of Technical and Entrepreneurial Skills Needed by Snail Farmers for Food Security in Delta-State, Nigeria, (ATESNSFFS) administered to all registered snail farmers in Delta State. The questionnaire’s reliability was established through a split-half reliability test, yielding a reliability coefficient of 0.85. The research questions were answered using weighted mean while the hypotheses were tested using t-test statistics. The study revealed that snail farmers in Delta State require technical and entrepreneurial skills, particularly in the selection of snail species, breeding, and marketing of snails, to ensure food security. Furthermore, the results indicated variations in the technical and entrepreneurial skills needed based on location and gender. The study concluded that vocational training on snail farming should be organized by the government and other stakeholders to enhance the technical and entrepreneurial skills of snail farmers in Delta State. Additionally, it recommended that extension workers provide practical training for snail farmers to improve their technical and entrepreneurial skills in snail farming.

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