Perceptions of agriculture in Nigeria by students of the Division of Agricultural Colleges, Ahmadu Bello University

The purpose of the study was to determine perceptions of agriculture in Nigeria by students of the Division of Agricultural Colleges, Ahmadu Bello University. The study determined characteristics of the students, their motivational factors in studying technical agriculture, perceptions of agriculture and agricultural workers, and implications of findings to technical agricultural education planning in Nigeria.;The study population consisted of 1434 sutdents at the four colleges of agriculture administered by the Division of Agricultural Colleges. Both proportional and simple random sampling were used to select participants for the study. A total of 234 students participated in the study.;A five-part instrument was developed and used to collect data pertinent to the study. Descriptive and inferential statistical procedures were used to analyze the data.;The following is a summary of the major findings of the study. Respondents were aged between 18 and 43 years, of which the mean was 25 years. More than 47 percent were ordinary diploma students, whereas over 52 percent were higher diploma students. Over 75 percent of the respondents were males and just under 25 percent were females. Occupational prestige ranking by students indicates that: (1) being a medical doctor was the most prestigious occupation and storekeeping was rated least prestigious; (2) farming was slightly above average in prestige; (3) no significant difference existed between males and females in their perceptions of occupational prestige, except for accountant and storekeeper.;A desire to help develop Nigerian agriculture was the most important factor in the students' decision to study agriculture; family factors influenced students the least. First-year ordinary diploma students were influenced more by economic, family, and personal factors than first-year higher diploma students. The perception of agriculture as the basis for national development had the highest degree of agreement, but that agriculture is fit for illiterates had the lowest degree of agreement. First-year ordinary diploma students had a more negative perception of economic factors of agriculture but a more positive perception of economic factors of agricultural workers than did first-year higher diploma students. Implication of the study for technical agricultural education planning in Nigeria were identified.