ENTREPRENEURIAL SKILLS IN THE PRODUCTION OF CUCUMBER FOR SUSTAINABLE LIVING OF RETIREES IN EDO AND DELTA STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

The study examined entrepreneurial skills in the production of cucumber for sustainable
living of retirees in Edo and Delta State of Nigeria. The design that was used for the study
is descriptive survey design. The entire population for the study was 98, made up of 78
students and 20 lecturers of crop science in two universities. The sample for this study
was 49, representing 50% of the population that was purposely sampled. Three purposes
and research questions were raised for the study. The instrument used for the study was
a structured questionnaire. This was validated by two experts in crop science. The
reliability coefficient of the instrument obtained using Cronbach alpha statistics was 0.72.
Data were collected by researchers aided by two briefed research assistants. Data were
analyzed using mean and standard deviation. Findings from the study revealed that the
retirees required eleven (11) skills for successful planning and pre-planting operations in
cucumber production, seven (7) skills in planting and management of cucumber ware
required by retirees for cucumber production and twelve (12) skills were required in
harvesting and marketing of cucumber by the retirees for effective and suitable living in
cucumber production. The study, therefore, recommends that identified skills be
packaged into modules and used for the training of retirees in cucumber production. It
was also recommended that there should be pre-retirement conference and seminar for
retirees, where they could be sensitized on availability of training that can help them at
retirement.

Keywords: Entrepreneurial, Skills, Retirees, Cucumber.