Students’ perception of orchard farming for campus revenue generation and skills acquisition in the Bauchi State College of Agriculture, Nigeria

Abstract

This study looks at how students at the College of Agriculture view orchard agriculture as a source of income and skills development. The researchers employed a cross-sectional survey approach to choose 100 students proportionately from the total number of two hundred and five (205) COA students. The researchers used a validated questionnaire to collect data and three specialized lecturers confirmed the validity of the instrument. SAS JMP version 17 was used to analyze the data, which included both descriptive and inferential statistics. Based on the study's research questions, students have different opinions about the economic sustainability of orchard farming, their awareness of its potential benefits and how well it helps them learn new skills. A sizable portion expresses doubts or reservations, although the majority of students think orchard farming can be profitable and helpful for skill development. Significant correlations between students' attitudes and responses were established using chi square testing (p<0.001). The study emphasizes the necessity of inclusion of educational programmes (curriculum) that might increase students' understanding of the possibilities for profit generated from orchard farming. The study suggested that to increase student engagement and take advantage of orchard farming's commercial potential within educational institutions, it is crucial to develop educational programmes that incorporate orchard farming subjects into the curriculum and offer opportunities for hands-on learning experiences.