ABSTRACT

 This study was carried out to determine the skills needed for sustainable production of turmeric rhizome among farmers in Eleme agricultural zone of Rivers State. The study was supported by four reseat ch questions and four hypotheses. The study adopted the descriptive survey research design. The population of this study was 1,996 which comprises of 1960 registered farmers and 36 agricultural extension agents in all the seven local government areas that make up Elerr.e agricultural zone. The sample of the study was 227 which include 196 register farmers and 31 agricultural extension agents in Eleme Zone agricultural zone of Rivers State obtained using simple random sampling techniques. The instrument for data collection was the researcher designed questionnaire titled "Skills Needed for Sustainable Production of Turmeric Rhizome Questionnaire (SNSPTZQ)". The instrument was validated by three experts.The reliability of the instrument was 0.79 which was derived using Cronbach's Alpha Statistic after a trial test was carried out. The data for the study was collected through the administration of 227 copies of the research instruments to the farmers and extension agents of which 221 copies was retrieved completely filled representing 97% return rate which were 190 farmers and 31 extension agents. The data collected were analysed using mean and standard deviations to the answer the four research questions while the null hypotheses was tested using t-test statistic. The result of the analysed revealed the following: All the skills identified as pre-planting, planting, post-planting and marketing were needed for sustainable production of Turmeric rhizome among farmers in Eleme agricultural zone. Based on the findings, it was recommended that: The identified skills should be packaged into a retraining programme for farmers in the skill acquisition centres. This could help them to become sel:-reliant, self-sustaining in turmeric rhizome production.