Available online at http://www.journaldynamics.org/jdar Journal of Dynamics in Agricultural Research Vol. 2(2), pp.12-20, May 2015 Article ID: JDAR15/015 Author(s) retain the copyright of this article Copyright © 2015
Original Research Paper
Factors influencing career choice among undergraduate Students in an African university context: The Case of Agriculture Students at Makerere University, Uganda Okiror John James1* and Otabong Denis2 Department of Extension and Innovation Studies, Makerere University, Uganda. *Corresponding author. E-mail:
[email protected]. Received 16 April, 2015; Accepted 28 April, 2015 Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly credited.
ABSTRACT This paper discusses factors influencing choice of agricultural careers among undergraduate students in an African University context with particular reference to experiences of students in the School of Agricultural Sciences at Makerere University. The specific objectives are to: establish the factors which influence career choice among BSc in Agriculture; determine students’ perceptions towards farming as a career after university; and describe the support services available to students at the university. Data were collected from 116 students in the School of Agricultural Sciences using a structured questionnaire and analysed for descriptive statistics like frequencies and percentages using SPSS version 16 computer software. Findings showed that students relied on their personal experiences and interests (30.2%) and pressure from their parents (15.5%) while making choices. Contrary to extant literature, 73% of students said they were willing to return to the land as farmers while 27.2% would prefer to seek for employment. It is commended that the university should provide career guidance services to help students make informed career choices and government should give follow-up support to those agriculture graduates who are willing to return to farming. Keywords: Agriculture, undergraduates, career choice.
INTRODUCTION Agriculture is a priority sector for addressing poverty and unemployment in most of Sub Saharan Africa and will continue to do so for some time to come (Vandenbosch et al., 2002). In Uganda, Agriculture employs 66 percent of the population and accounts for about 23 percent of total Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and for 46 percent of total exports (UBOS, 2010). The sector is also the basis for much of the industrial activity in the country and remains the basis for growth in other sectors such as trade and the service sector (GoU, 2000). It has also been hailed as a major source of livelihood for the rural poor
and employing up to 83 percent of women as primary producers of food. Yet in spite of its great potential, agriculture is still left to the elderly or uneducated youths. This raises the question as to why the educated youths in Uganda and Africa at large do not apply the principles and practices of agriculture learned at school after graduating from school and to look at farming as a means of livelihood. Most people still regard agriculture as nonprofessional and less profitable career option for a young graduate and returning to farming after University would be regarded as failure.
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Agricultural courses are also regarded to be a reserve course for the less intelligent and less privileged and students who study agriculture at the University often do so by chance assignment from the selection body at the Ministry of Education rather than by choice. In this paper, we argue that for farming and other agricultural endeavors to remain sustainable there is need to encourage more young people to become involved in farming and agribusiness. Agricultural jobs and careers need the manpower and ideas to sustain food sources around the world. There is need to think and act differently to feed the world, and education is the starting point from which to lay the foundation for sustainable agriculture. Since its establishment in 1922, Makerere University has grown tremendously. It has a student population of 40,000 students of which 3,000 are postgraduate students. The College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences is one of the nine colleges and has three schools including the School of Agricultural Sciences (SAS). There is mounting pressure on the university to be relevant and more engaged in responding to emerging development and national problems, and to produce graduates that are ready to tackle the ever changing socioeconomic needs in a liberalized, privatized policy environment and in the context of declining support for higher education from funding agencies and respective national governments (Batte and Wanzala; 2005). Training of Agricultural professionals in Uganda started in 1924 at the then technical school on Makerere hill alongside medicine, education and veterinary sciences. A certificate in Agriculture was awarded after three years of training. In 1936 the course was strengthened by introducing basic science subjects, extending the duration from three to five years and upgrading from a certificate to a Diploma award in Agriculture. These evolutionary aspects were a result of the De la Wair commission which recommended that Makerere becomes the center of Higher Education serving the needs of all East Africa territories, namely; Kenya, Tanganyika, Zanzibar and Uganda. The college of Agriculture at Makerere thus started admitting larger numbers of students (40) in 1937, which was comparable to other courses such as medicine (Batte and Wanzala, 2005). Subsequent developments led to affiliation of Makerere College to the University of London in 1948. Professor Fergus Wilson was recruited to become the first Dean of Agriculture at Makerere in 1952. He is credited for establishing the present-day School of Agriculture building on the main campus in1957 and the training and research farm at the present day Makerere University Agricultural Research Institute, Kabanyolo (MUARIK).The admission of the first intake of students in 1958, to pursue degree courses at Makerere, in Agriculture marked the span of the first full course (1958/1961) for the Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Science of the University of London. In 1961 the final batch of Diploma students completed their three-year training while the first batch of nine students completed their B.Sc. Agricultural
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Sciences. The present School of Agricultural sciences comprises of three departments namely; Agricultural Production, Extension and Innovation studies and the Department of Agribusiness and Natural Resource Economics (CAES, 2011). There are eight undergraduate programmes ranging from three to four years. These are: the B.Sc. Agriculture, with five options: Animal Science, Agricultural Economics, Agricultural Extension and Education, Crop Science and Soil Science; the B.Sc. in Agricultural Engineering; the B.Sc. in Food Science and Technology; the B. Sc. in Human Nutrition; the B.Sc. in Land Use and Management; the Bachelor of Agricultural and Rural Innovations; the Bachelor of Agribusiness Management; and, the B.Sc. in Horticulture. The graduate degree programmes include Masters and PhDs in: Agri-business Management; Agricultural Economics; Agricultural Engineering; Agricultural Extension Education; Applied Human Nutrition; Food Science and Technology; Animal Science; Crop Science; and, Soil Science among others in Forestry, Environment and Geographical Sciences. The Bachelor of Science in Agriculture is a four-year degree programme which aims to provide graduates with the knowledge, skills and experience they require to be assets in the agricultural industries. It is a science-based course and offers flexible pathway options for the students. During the third year of the BSC in Agriculture programme, students can choose to specialize in any of the five options for fourth year study. The options include: Crop Science; Animal Science; Soil Science; Agricultural economics; and Extension and Innovation studies (CAES, 2011). Problem Statement The School of Agricultural Sciences at Makerere University is mandated to train graduates who provide technical advice and services to the agricultural sector. A majority of the BSC in Agriculture students are admitted through the direct entry scheme after obtaining two Principle Passes at Uganda Advanced Level Certificate Examinations (UACE). In most cases, however, the students admitted had not selected agriculture as their first choice, mainly due to lack of appreciation of agriculture as a career or lack of adequate career guidance in Secondary Schools. While at the University, the BSC in Agriculture students are required to select study options and course electives which ultimately will determine their onward career paths but such choices are often made with little information and awareness. The students make the choices of courses and career options with considerable ambiguity, uncertainty and stress. This study therefore, sought to identify the factors influencing the choice of courses and career options among undergraduate students of the BSC in Agriculture in School of Agricultural Sciences at Makerere University. It is our hope that the findings of this study may help to:
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highlight the factors influencing the choices made by undergraduate students in a typical African University context; establish the attitudes of agriculture graduates towards farming as a career choice after university; and, inform university policy makers, administrators and lecturers about the career guidance needs of undergraduate students. Purpose of the study The purpose of this study was to identify the factors that influence the choice of course options and agricultural careers by undergraduate students in the school of Agricultural sciences at Makerere University. The specific objectives were to: determine the factors which influence students’ choice of courses of study at the university; determine the factors which influence students’ choice of career options under the BSc. in Agriculture degree programme; establish students’ attitudes towards farming as an occupation after University. The theoretical framework The BSc in Agriculture degree programme at Makerere University is carefully structured over a four year period as follows: the first year provides students with a strong foundation in the basic sciences and their importance in agriculture with all students studying chemistry, botany, microbiology, soil science and animal physiology. Students are also introduced to basic concepts in agricultural systems, data analysis, agricultural business and economics. The second year involves application of the agricultural science knowledge and skills. Topics studied include crop and pasture science, pasture agronomy, animal nutrition and agribusiness. Students also learn essential skills in communication, in various forms, essential for all professions regardless of career path. In the third year, the programme takes on a management focus within agricultural disciplines, and includes; management of plant pests and diseases, crop production, soil fertility and grazing animals are key focuses. Students also undertake a three-month industry practicum (internship or field attachment) and they may choose an agricultural company such as a bank, Agribusiness Company, agronomic consultancy, research body, corporate farm or other agricultural service provider. During this time, students gain insight and experience into the day to day workings of agricultural industry, which will assists in making an easy transition from study to full-time employment. The student will also have the advantage of being sought after by employers looking for graduates with the practical experience. In year four, students choose among the five course options as specialized areas of study and onward career paths. This is the time when many students carry out their agricultural research. This involves completion of a research project on a topic of interest to the student.
Coursework is provided to equip students with valuable research skills such as experimental design and data interpretation, scientific communication, and literature inquiry and review. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY A cross-sectional survey design was used to collect information from students at a particular point in time from students in the School of Agricultural Sciences in the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences at Makerere University. The study population consisted of all third and fourth year students of the BSc in Agriculture degree programme enrolled for the academic year 2012/ 2014. A total of 116 students were randomly selected using their class lists by selecting every 2nd name on the respective class lists. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire which was specifically developed for the purpose of the study objectives and review of literature on the topic. The questions were designed to elicit responses on the background information of the respondents and what factors influenced them to opt for Agriculture as a course of study. Open ended questions were included to elicit the respondent’s personal views while a 3-point Likert scale type questions (Agree, Don’t Know and Disagree) were used to measure attitudes. The instrument had four sections: Section A; sought answers about agriculture in general; Section B was about factors for choice of career paths; Section C solicited attitudes about farming after university; while Section D was about the demographic characteristics of the respondents. The instrument was pilot tested for reliability using five students who were randomly selected. Their responses to research questions helped to identify items that were difficult and ambiguous. Items found to be extremely ambiguous were modified accordingly. Pretesting also necessitated addition of more items and reduction of others to improve the quality of instrument. The final instrument was cross-checked for face validity by the academic supervisor. The questionnaire was administered personally by the researcher to the respondents to ensure full and prompt responses. All the 116 questionnaires were completed and returned to the researcher constituting a response rate of 100%. Information collected was treated with confidentiality. The data were then analyzed using SPSS computer software, version 16 for descriptive statistics like frequencies, means and cross tabulations. The qualitative data was cleaned, coded, categorized according to the themes of the study and was presented in narrative form using descriptions and quotations. RESULTS Demographic characteristics of the Respondent The study sought to establish the demographic
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Table 1. Demographic Characteristics of the Respondents.
Mode of entry into University Direct Entry /A’ level
Gender
Diploma Scheme
Mature Age Scheme
Frequency
Percent
Frequency
Percent
Frequency
Percent
Male
72
62.1%
3
2.6%
0
.0%
75(64.7%)
Female
38
32.8%
2
1.7%
1
.9%
41(35.3%)
110
94.8%
5
4.3%
1
.9%
116(100%)
Total
Total
Table 2. Home area of the respondents and type of sponsorship at University.
Type of Sponsorship at the University Government
Private
Frequency
Percent
On farm/ranch
13
Ruralarea
39
Suburb City/town
Type of home area
Total
Frequency
Percent
Total
11.2%
9
7.8%
22 (19.0%)
33.6%
10
8.6%
49 (42.2%)
8
6.9%
5
4.3%
13 (11.2%)
19
16.4%
13
11.2%
32 (27.6%)
79
68.1%
37
31.9%
116 (100%)
characteristics of the respondents as a basis for interpreting the research findings. Data were therefore collected about their gender, year of study, district of origin and mode of entry into the university. The findings are presented in table 1. Table 1 shows that 95% of the respondents were direct entrants from A’ Level and that only six of the respondents joined the university via the Diploma and Mature Age Schemes. The table also shows that 65% of the respondents were males and 35% were female. This implied that the BSc. in Agriculture students were relatively young (19 to 21 years), relatively less experienced and required support to make informed career choices. The male to female ration of 2:1 is fairer than most agriculture programmes. The study also sought to assess the prior farming experience of the respondents by basing on their places of origin. Table 2 shows the home areas of the respondents and type of sponsorship at the university. Table 2 shows that 42% of the respondents originated from rural areas, 19% lived on a farm, 28% lived in towns or cities and 11% in suburbs. The results also showed that 68% of the respondents were government sponsored and 32% were self-sponsored. These results show that more than half of the respondents came from rural areas or lived on a farm and therefore, had a farming background which would make them willing to return to the land after studying agriculture at the university. The 45% out of the 68%of the respondents sponsored by government also shows that the public policy is fairly good for rural and
farming families and could be supported with incentives to encourage agriculture graduates to return to the land. This paper seeks to explore the factors that influence students’ choice of careers in agriculture and as subject of study. Table 3 shows the reasons given by the respondents for their decisions to study agriculture at the university. Table 3 shows that 30% of the respondents said they chose to study agriculture because of their personal interest, 20% said it is because of the job opportunities or benefits in agriculture, 15% said their choice was due to having a farming background and another 15% attributed their choice to parental advice. Only 10% attributed their decisions to career guidance provided to them at secondary school level. These results imply that the decisions to study agriculture among respondents are generally intrinsic, meaning that they have genuine motivations to study the subject. The findings also contradict many earlier assumptions that students do not select agriculture as a course of study but are just assigned by the Ministry of Education and Sports based on their grades. The findings also point to the low level of influence due to career guidance at school level. The results further pose a dilemma as to why people who choose agriculture do not honour it as an occupation after university and whether the negative predisposition is a result of the elitist curriculum offered at the university. The conceptual framework in Figure 1 shows that the curriculum is science oriented and lacks a vocational component
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Table 3. Reasons reported by respondents to influence their decisions to study agriculture.
Reason for decision to choose to study agriculture
Response Frequency (n=116)
Percent
Passion for agriculture and personal interest.
35
30.2%
Agricultural background
18
15.5%
Parental/family influence
15
12.9%
Benefits of the course/job opportunities
24
20.7%
Career guidance
12
10.3%
Any other(Good grades; Radio talk shows)
12
10.3%
Total
116
100.0%
Post graduate studies in Agriculture and Related Sciences largely based on 4th year study options 4th BSC in Agriculture (5Career Pathways: Economics, Extension, Agronomy; Animal Science; Soil Science)
Specialized Curriculum options
Further Studies World of Work
Course and career choices 3rd Year BSC in Agriculture (Farm/ Project management) 2nd Year BSC in Agriculture (Applied Sciences)
Exploratory curriculum in Agriculture
Four years of university education
1st Year BSC in Agriculture (Foundation Sciences) Secondary school career guidance in selecting subjects
A’ Level Sciences (Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Geography, Mathematics)
Figure 1. Conceptual framework of the BSC in Agriculture Curriculum at Makerere University.
Two years of Higher Secondary School Education
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Table 4. Role of career guidance in respondent's choice of agriculture as a course of study.
Statement about career guidance at school
Response Frequency Percent
Career guidance had a big influence Career guidance had little influence Career guidance had no influence There was no career guidance at all Total
53 35 3 25 116
45.7% 30.2% 2.6% 21.6% 100.0%
Table 5. Ranking of agriculture among courses selected by respondents for University admission.
Rank for Agriculture
Response Frequency
Percentage (%)
First choice
22
19.0%
Second choice
38
32.8%
Third choice
45
38.8%
Fourth choice
10
8.6%
Did not apply for
1
0.9%
116
100.0%
Total
needed to encourage career establishment and growth in agribusinesses. The respondents were, however, asked whether career guidance was helpful to them at secondary school level. Table 4 shows the role of career guidance Table 4 shows that 45.7% of the respondents reported that career guidance had a big influence in their choice of agriculture as a course of study; 30.2% said it had little influence while 21.6% said they did not have any form of career guidance at all in their schools. This means that more should be done to improve career guidance at school level. The respondents were further asked to report how they ranked agriculture among their choices for courses of study at the University. Table 5 shows how agriculture was ranked by participants among other subjects offered at secondary school level. Table 5 shows that only 19% of the respondents said they had selected agriculture as their first choice course of study at the university, 33% made it second choice and 38% said it was their third choice. This is in consonant with extant literature that agriculture is rated lower than other biological sciences like Medicine, Veterinary Science, Pharmacy and Food Science. The grading system in Uganda is such that students are posted to different courses based on their total points rather than on their interests or aptitudes. However, the students seem to have modified their attitudes towards the subject as shown by results in table 6. Table 6 shows that 98% of the respondents said their
choice of agriculture as a course of study was very good while only 2%) said they regretted their choice. This is a very positive outcome of the curriculum offered at the University. The students must have come to appreciate the subject after getting exposed to a number of opportunities in agriculture. This also means that students do not choose agriculture because of lack of proper career guidance at lower levels of education. The students were then asked to identify a number of factors which influence their choice of the different career paths availed to them while at University. Table 7 shows the factors reported by the students to influence their career and study options. Table 7 shows that students choices were based on their perceived availability of career and scholarship opportunities in a given department (29%) and the grade point averages marks (CGPA) earned by the student at the time of selecting the options (28%). The students’ personal experience (18%) and peer influence (11%) were also reported to play a significant role in influencing the choices made by the students. Regarding the availability of career and scholarship opportunities, the respondents reported that having a friend or relative in certain career was a most common influence, since getting jobs in certain occupations is not easy unless you knew someone who is willing to support you! This does not augur well with the values of meritocracy espoused by the colonial powers and founding fathers at independence . On the contrary, nepotism appears to be on the increase
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Table 6. Respondent's current opinion about their choice of agriculture as a career.
Respondent's current opinion of agriculture as a career course
Response Frequency Percent
Best choice ever made Some regrets about the course Total
113 2 115
98.3% 1.7% 100.0%
Table 7. Factors reported to influence choice of study options/subject electives among students.
Factors influencing choice of study options/course electives
Responses Frequency Percent
Peer influence Grades or CGPA Previous background/experience Role models Availability of opportunities(Jobs/Scholarships) Other Total
13 33 21 8 34 7 116
11.2% 28.4% 18.1% 6.9% 29.3% 6.0% 100%
Table 8. Role of internship experience in career choice among students.
Relevance of internship in career choice Yes, it is relevant No, it is not relevant Total
because of privatized work environments where agribusiness proprietors prefer to hire their kin over strangers with similar qualifications. The respondents also said high grades in particular disciplines influenced students to make choices in subjects where they are assured of excellence. Students with high CGPA in a given option’s course units tend to go for such option in their fourth year study compared to other course options. Regarding the peer pressure, respondents said that some students choose a career option just because "everyone else is doing it". For example, if a student leader decides to choose a certain option like Crop Science, friends may decide to do the same study option.This may be as a result of lecturers not having enough time to advice students leaving them in the hands of their peers to offer the necessary guidance.The respondents also said that students from rural and urban backgrounds had different educational goals. They look at the choices and possibilities differently if they live in Kampala than they do if they come from upcountry. Respondents were asked if internship experience was
Responses Frequency 107 8 115
Percent 93.0% 7.0% 100.0%
helpful in their choice of study options at the university. Table 8 shows that internship was relevant. Objective three of the study sought to determine the respondents’ attitudes towards Agriculture as an occupation and whether they would consider farming as a career option after completing their university education. Table 9 shows the responses towards agriculture. Table 9 shows that 52.6% of the respondents said they would consider going back to farming upon completion of their university degree whereas 12.9% disagreed and 34.5% were not sure. It also shows that 80.2% of the respondents said they would consider self-employment and investing in commercial agriculture. The findings show that some students of agriculture had preference to go into agribusiness. This would augur well with the government plan of promoting as a business to address the employability challenges for youth (GoU, 2010). Table 9 shows that 57.4% of the respondents agreed that agriculture is a prestigious career to pursue while 42.6% either disagreed or said they did not know. The respondents said that they lacked support from their
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Table 8. Respondent's attitude to embracing farming after university categorized by gender.
Attitude statement I will consider starting a farm after my studies I will consider self employment in commercial agriculture after graduation I think Agriculture is a prestigious, honourable career I will consider shifting interest to other career fields after graduation
Agree
Don’t Know
Disagree
Total
Freq 61
% age 52.6%
Freq 40
% age 34.5%
Freq 15
% age 12.9%
116 (100%)
93
80.2%
11
9.5%
12
10.3%
116 (100%)
66
57.4%
25
21.7%
24
20.9%
115 (100%)
19
16.4%
34
29.3%
63
54.3%
116 (100%)
family members and peers and that lack of information about the agriculture and the associated opportunities led to parents and friend not being supportive. One respondent illustrated this as follows: “A lot of people tell me that I won’t make much money and I will be forced to work in the field cutting down trees and classifying weeds for the rest of my life.” Table 9 also shows that 16.4% of the respondents said they would contemplate the likelihood of switching from agriculture to other careers after completing university education. They cited technological forces and changes in personal life such as marriage, the need for less travel, seeking additional income, and job security as the most likely propellants to other career fields. Fifty four percent (54.4%) of the respondents said they would not consider changing careers because they felt sure they had chosen the right career path and were passionate enough about it. One of the respondents said: “I want to do something meaningful with my life and career and agriculture does offer this opportunity”. However, 29.3% indicated that they did not know probably because they had not yet made up their minds about switching or not switching careers. Overall the findings of this study corroborate with other studies in Uganda, the USA and Kenya which highlight the significance of training facilities in shaping learners’ skills and attitudes (Sabiiti, 2012); influence of prior experience in agriculture (Wildman and Torres; 2001) and availability of opportunities for learning experiences and career advancement (Kochung and Migunde, 2011). Whereas, most of these studies apply to secondary school career guidance, we instead draw attention to the unique advisory challenges faced by undergraduate students in an African University context. Our findings underscore the need for better student support services to help them make better career choices.
parental advice. However, 45.7% of the respondents reported that career guidance had a big influence in their choice of agriculture as a course of study b. Undergraduate students lack the necessary information and institutional support they need to make informed decisions about career choices and study options in their final year of study. The students rely on their own intuitions and advice from parents. c. Career choices by undergraduate students are based on anticipation of scholarship opportunities; the grade point average marks (CGPA); personal interest or peer influence from classmates. However, availability of such opportunities depended on having a friend or well-placed relative who is willing to offer support. d. Whereas many of secondary school students did not prioritize agriculture as a course of study at University, majority of the undergraduate students who responded to this study said they were willing to return to the land as farmers after graduation from the University and to be self-employed or invest in commercial agriculture. e. The choice of study options by undergraduate students in fourth year is influenced by their career aspirations and course instructors. Most of the students said that they chose subjects that would prepare them for their aspired careers and by basing on advice from course instructors. Some instructors encouraged them to take the course units that they taught. f. Undergraduate students said they faced challenges in the choice of course electives and study options including lack of ability to identify good course units, limited practical experience, discouragement from peers and a congested curriculum with too many course units on offer.
Recommendations
Basing on the above conclusions, it is recommended that: 1. 1. Since career guidance at secondary school level Conclusions influenced students’ choice of agriculture as a course of study at University, the Ministry of Education should Based on the study findings we concluded that: strengthen the guidance and counselling services in a. Students chose to study agriculture because of their schools to encourage career exploration and informed personal interest, job opportunities or benefits in decisions by students. Universities should provide the agriculture, due to having a farming background or due to necessary information and advisory support services
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needed by undergraduate students to make informed career choices and study options in their final year of study. University units like Colleges, Schools or Faculties should set up career and student support service desks to guide students with their learning and career needs in addition to the psychosocial counseling that is currently provided. 2. Students should be encouraged to organize career days in order to enhance their knowledge of available scholarship and work opportunities. This would minimize the negative peer influence from classmates or the need to depend on a friend or relative to find jobs. 3. Since students are willing to consider returning to the land as farmers or to be self-employed in commercial agriculture, the Ministry of Agriculture should device ways of supporting fresh graduates to establish themselves in agribusiness. This could be achieved through a soft loans scheme and extension services which specifically target the beginning farmers. 4. Since a good first degree is a general one, the agriculture curriculum should be reviewed to identify courses that can be merged and minimize fragmentation. This would reduce the number of electives students can take and allow students maintain core courses even after specializing.
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