AN ANALYSIS OF COMPETENCIES IN AGRICULTURAL ORGANIZATIONS IN SELECTED TECHNICAL AND VOCATIONAL COLLEGES IN NORTH RIFT REGION, KENYA.

Abstract

Globally, the Agricultural industry is frustrated by chronic mismatch between competencies and work, often leading to economic downturn and youth unemployment. This study therefore, investigated the relationship between agricultural training and the competencies needed in agricultural organizations in selected technical and vocational colleges in north rift region, Kenya. The first objective was to assess the extent to which the capacity of trainers influences the quality of teaching of agriculture in selected TVET colleges. The second objective was to examine the current agricultural curriculum in TVET colleges. The third objective was to assess the extent to which training infrastructure for Agriculture in TVET colleges influences competencies acquired by trainees and the fourth objective was to establish the market needs for Agricultural trainees in TVET colleges. Training infrastructure, ATVET curriculum, Market needs and capacity of trainers were the indicators of quality training in TVET colleges in North-Region, Kenya. The study adopted descriptive design. A sampling frame of 5 TVET colleges was purposively selected. Simple random sampling was used to select 384 students studying agriculture in TVET institutions, 16 teaching staff (principals & lecturers) and 14 human resource personnel were purposively selected. Structured questionnaires and interview schedules were employed in collecting the research data from students and human resource personnel. Focus Group Discussions and Key Informants were used to collect data from TVET trainers and TVET principals respectively. Cronbach Alpha was used to determine the reliability of the questionnaires and a reliability co-efficient of 0.7 was adopted. Collected data was coded, entered, cleaned and analyzed using SPSS Version 20. Frequency tables and percentages were used to present data and hypothesis testing was done by use of chi square at 95% confidence level. Experiential Learning theory and Human capital theory provided theoretical basis for the study. The study showed that there was a mismatch in agricultural training and requisite competencies needed in agricultural organizations. This study therefore concluded that agricultural training should be matched with the competencies required by the agricultural organizations. This study served as a road map to spawn information from which recommendations were made that would be of advantage to the Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Education, Agricultural organizations and Industries and agro based Non-Governmental Organizations.