Assessment of in-service Training Prospects for Extension Agents in Delta State Agricultural Development Programme (DTADP)

Abstract

This paper examines the in-service training prospects for agricultural extension agents in Delta State agriculturaldevelopment programme (DTADP). The types of in-service training programmes available, criteria for selectingextension agents for study leave with pay, and constraints to in-service training were also determined. The paperreviewed the present status of pre-service training in agricultural extension The study reveals thatinduction/orientation training, fortnightly, training, seminars, conferences, workshops and refresher courses areamong in-service programmes used extensively in the training of agricultural extension agents in DTADP. Over 50%of the respondents indicated that they have benefited in these training programmes. It was alsofound that study leave,off-project training and short duration courses have not been adequately utilised in the training of extension agents.Only 17% of the respondents have enjoyed study leave with pay while 38% of them have attended short durationcourses. The study recommends the modification and updating of the pre-service training curriculum in agriculturalextension, adequate funding of in-service training programmes, the extensive use of short duration and refreshercauses in the training of agricultural extension agents, and the establishment of staff training linkage between DTADPand Faculty ofAgriculture ofthe Delta State university as a means ofsourcing trainers.