| dc.description.abstract | The purpose of training is to impart new knowledge and skills; and/or to refresh the knowledge
that the trainees already have. Governments and non-governmental organizations spend much on
training concentrating on agricultural best practices to impart farmers with knowledge and skills
to utilize sustainable natural resource management practices in food security projects believing
that training will improve performance and productivity. However, unsettling questions continue
to be raised about the transfer of these agricultural best practices and the return in terms of
performance and productivity on this investment. This study was aimed at answering research
questions on the factors of training programme that seem to influence the level of transfer of
agricultural best practices, with the following objectives: to find out how trainee attributes;
trainer attributes; training design; and monitoring and evaluation influence level of transfer of
agricultural best practices through hypotheses testing. The study was conducted through a
descriptive research survey; case of Gandini Irrigation Project. Data was collected using
questionnaires administered to 108 farmers (from a population of 149 farmers) who were
randomly sampled using proportionate stratified method. Focus group discussion guides were
administered to 6 men and 6 women. One checklist was used to collect secondary and primary
data with the help of the members of project committee and project staff in charge. Percentages
and tables were used to summarize, organize and present the data. To investigate whether a
dependence relationship existed between two variables or whether the variables were statistically
independent, Chi-square was used to test the hypotheses. The qualitative and quantitative data
was triangulated for deeper understanding. Trainee’s level of literacy, culture, trainers’ ability to
deliver feedback, instructional methods, participation by the trainees, training needs assessment
and monitoring were found to have influence on the transfer of agricultural best practices. The
study concluded that indeed the transfer of agricultural best practices is influenced by the trainee
attributes, trainer attributes, training design and monitoring and evaluation and recommended
that the training programmes to thoroughly consider training needs assessment; use of exchange
programmes and establishment farmer field schools for exposure and exchange of ideas and
experiences; and implementers to initiate and invest in Trainer of Trainees (ToT) approach. The
study recommended further studies on the influence of culture and land tenancy on transfer of
agricultural best practices. | en_US |
