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Article Title: Enterpreneurial Skills Required By Youths for Watermelon (Citrullus Lanatus) Production: A Panacea to Unemployment Challenges in Ondo State, Nigeria
by Lawal, O. Isaac, Famiwole, Remigius .O and Mohammed, Dede Ibrahim

Abstract:
The study was carried out to identify the entrepreneurial skills required by youths for watermelon (Citrullus lanatus) production as a panacea to unemployment challenges in Ondo State, Nigeria. Three research questions guided the study. The population of the study was 76; made up of 32 teachers of agricultural science in secondary schools, 28 registered watermelon farmers and 16 agricultural extension agents from eight agricultural zones in the state. The entire population constituted the sample because of the small size. Three sets of questionnaire containing 59 entrepreneurial skills items were developed and used to collect data. The questionnaire had a 4-point response scale of Highly Required, Averagely Required, Slightly Required and Not Required. The instrument was validated by experts, from the Vocational Teacher Education Department (Agricultural Education Unit) and the Department of Crop Science, University of Nigeria, Nsukka. The reliability of the questionnaires was established using Crobanch Alpha reliability formula to determine the internal consistency of the questionnaire items. A reliability coefficient of 0.85 was obtained. Seventy six (76) copies of the questionnaire were administered on the respondents. All were retrieved. Mean and Standard Deviation were used for data analysis. The findings showed that youths in Ondo State required 59 major entrepreneurial skills for effective watermelon production. Objectively, the study identified the entrepreneurial skills needed for planning, preplanting, planting, post-planting, packaging and marketing of watermelon fruits to train and reduce unemployment challenges in Ondo State. Based on the findings, it was recommended among others that the identified the entrepreneurial skills should be incorporated into the curriculum of the Skill Acquisition Centers Schools and Colleges by federal, state government, and training institutes to train youths in order to empower them and reduce unemployment challenges in Ondo State and Nigeria in general.

Keywords: entrepreneurial skills, youths, unemployment challenges, water melon production, secondary school leavers, planting operations.

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