MOTIVATIONAL INITIATIVES NEEDED BY UNDERGRADUATES OFAGRICULTURAL EDUCATION FOR GINGER (Zingiber officinale)PRODUCTION IN NASARAWA STATE, NIGERIA

This study identified motivational initiatives needed by undergraduates of agricultural education into ginger production in Nasarawa state of Nigeria. The study made use of survey research design. Three research questions guided the study. The population for the study was 354 made up of 289 Undergraduate of Agricultural Education and 65 Agricultural Extension Agents from Nasarawa State Agricultural Development Agency (NSADA) office, Lafia. The entire population was involved in the study. A 39-skill cluster questionnaire items was used for data collection. The instrument was validated by three experts. Cronbach alpha technique was used to determine the internal consistency of the instrument. A reliability coefficient of 0.85 was obtained. Three hundred and fifty-four copies of the questionnaire were administered on the respondents. Three hundred and fifty-four copies were returned immediately and analyzed. Weighted Mean and Improvement Need Index were used to answer the research questions. Findings from the study revealed that undergraduates of agricultural education in north-central states of Nigeria needed motivational initiatives in land preparation, planting and post-planting, harvest and storage operations in ginger production. It was recommended that the identified motivational initiatives should be incorporated into the curriculum of tertiary schools in north-central states of Nigeria, so that the students would acquire these initiatives before graduating from school among others.