Food Security and Agricultural Education: The Quality Agricultural Teacher Preparation Imperatives

This paper is a report of a research aimed at ascertaining the status of employment of required imperatives in quality preparation of agricultural education teachers as a long-term measure for achieving food security in South South geopolitical zone of Nigeria. The study was guided by one research question and hypothesis . The study employed the survey research design. A total sample of 205 respondents were selected from a target population of 407 Agricultural Education Lecturers were selected for the study using simple random sampling technique. The instrument named Quality Agricultural Teacher Preparation Imperatives for Food Security (QATPISQ) was used to elicit the needed responses. Data collected were analyzed using mean, standard deviation and population t-test statistical tools. The hypothesis was tested at 0.05 level of significance. The findings of the study indicated that the employment of all the listed required imperatives for quality preparation of Agricultural Education teachers as a long-term measure for achieving food security in South South geopolitical zone of Nigeria was significantly low. It was recommended among others that government should ensure that agricultural teacher training institutions in South South geopolitical zone of Nigeria are well equipped both in human and material resources to enhance quality agricultural teacher preparation in the zone.

Keywords: Food Security, Agricultural Education, Teacher Preparation Imperatives