ABSTRACT

Purpose: The need to tackle the problem of inadequacy of advisory services on Climate Smart Agricultural Initiatives (CSAI) rendered by extension agents led this study to determine the competency need of extension agents on CSAI using the Borich needs assessment model.

Methodology: Data on importance and competence of tasks associated with CSAI were collected from two-hundred and seventy-seven (277) extension agents and analysed using means, ranks, discrepancy score (DS), weighted discrepancy score (WDS) and mean weighted discrepancy score (MWDS).

Findings: The results revealed that although the extension agents rated a lot of the CSAI as important, they were only competent on just few of these initiatives. Furthermore, prominent areas of training needs on CSAI were identified which provided direction on areas of curriculum emphasis for in-service training on CSAI.

Practical Implication: The recognition of the major areas of competency needs of extension agents on CSAI has far-reaching implications for curriculum innovation in developing trainings that will enhance their knowledge and capacity in the dissemination of climate change adaptation and mitigation strategies.

Theoretical Implication: The study fills the lacuna of scarcity of empirical research studies documenting issues relating to the competence of extension agents on CSAI with particular focus on highlighting the areas of priority training needs especially in the region.

Originality/Value: This paper is one of only a few to have pointed out areas of priority competency needs of extension agents on CSAI. This has several implications for educating and training extension agents on climate change issues.

摘要

目的：由于需要解决推广代理商提供的关于气候智能农业倡议（CSAI）的咨询服务不足的问题，导致本研究使用Borich需求评估模型来确定推广代理商对CSAI的能力需求。

方法：从287名（277）推广人员中收集了与CSAI相关的任务的重要性和能力的数据，并使用均值，等级，差异评分（DS），加权差异评分（WDS）和平均加权差异进行了分析分数（MWDS）。

结果：结果表明，尽管推广人员认为CSAI的重要性很高，但他们仅能胜任这些举措中的几个。此外，确定了CSAI培训需求的突出领域，为CSAI在职培训的课程重点领域提供了指导。

实际意义：认识推广人员对CSAI的主要能力需求的认识，对课程创新产生深远的影响，因为它需要开发培训，以增强他们在传播气候变化适应和缓解策略方面的知识和能力。

理论意义：该研究填补了经验研究不足的空白，这些经验研究文献记录了与CSAI推广人员的能力有关的问题，尤其着重于突出优先培训需求的领域，尤其是在该地区。

原创性/价值：本文是指出CSAI扩展代理的优先级能力需求领域的少数几个之一。这对教育和培训推广人员有关气候变化问题具有若干含义。