EFFECTS OF TRAINING ON THE ACTIVITIES OF EXTENSION STAFF OF AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMES IN NORTH-EAST, NIGERIA
Keywords:
Follow up; Training Need; Post-Training Activities; Job PerformanceAbstract
The history of training in business organizations is as long old as the entire history of business organizations. This study assessed the effects of training design and implementation on post-training activities of extension staff of Agricultural Development Programmes (ADPs) in North-east Nigeria. Multi-stage sampling procedure was used to select 197 respondents from Gombe, Taraba and Yobe States ADPs. A structured questionnaire was used to obtain data on respondents’ personal characteristics of respondents, methods used for selecting staff for training and perceived constraints to post-training activities. Data were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics. 73.1% of the respondents were male, 91.4% married with mean age of 44 years and work experience of 18 years. Most of the respondents 92.9% had tertiary education and majority (26.9%) were Village Extension Agents. Furthermore, 53.8% reported there was follow-up after training. There was a significant association between educational level (χ2 = 2.84, p<0.05) and post training activities. Pearson Product Moment Correlation showed that there were positive and significant relationships (p<0.05) between age (r = 0.16), work experience (r = 0.16) and post training activities. There were significant differences in post-training activities (F = 29.18, p>0.05) across the three selected States. It was concluded that very weak follow-up after training decreases job performance. It was recommended that management of agricultural organizations should ensure placing emphasis on efficient follow-up of trainees for effectiveness of training.
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