Discrepancy Score of Job Competency on SAFE Programme Beneficiaries in North-Western Nigeria

The study examines the discrepancy of job competency on SAFE programme beneficiaries in North-Western Nigeria. A multi-stage sampling technique was adopted in selecting 285 sample sizes. Two categories of respondents were considered namely: SAFE beneficiaries (212) and employer’s (73). Primary data was collected using structured questionnaires and all the questionnaires were returned and found useful for the study. Data collected were analyzed using descriptive statistics such as percentage counts, means; standard deviation and discrepancy scores. The study revealed that majority (96%) of the SAFE beneficiaries were male, married (86%) with a mean age of about 44 years, and about 18 years of working experiences in extension services. SAFE beneficiaries had a mean of 6 persons per household with a current mean salary grade level of 12. The study revealed that job competencies identified in SAFE programme were rated ‘high important’ to extension service delivery. The study further reveals that SAFE beneficiaries were rated high in job competencies possessed as result of SAFE programme. More so, the study established a positive (0.00) discrepancy score on professionalism among the SAFE beneficiaries in the study area. The study concludes that SAFE programme had positively influenced job competencies of the agricultural extension workers. The study further recommends that there is need for more female incorporated in agricultural extension services, inclusiveness of other extension workers to key into the SAFE programme as well as the need to strengthened professionalism in the SAFE programme curricula across the participating Universities in Nigeria.