Environmental Incentives and Motivational Factors for Involvement of Children in Agriculture

Abstract

The paper examined the importance of two primary institutions (home and school) in arousing children interest in agricultural practice for food security and poverty alleviation in Abeokuta North Local Government Area of Ogun State. The instrument used for data collection was structured interview scheduled for eighty (80) pupils selected through multistage sampling technique from four major settlements in the study area. Chi-square and analysis of variance were used in analyzing the data. The result indicated that 37.50% of the children are within ages 5 and 6 years, 25% between ages 7 and 8 years. 62% attended private primary school and belong to polygamous families. Among incentives for agricultural practices mentioned by majority of the children (62.5%) were viewing farm far away from home while 31.8% have open land beside their house free for cultivation. Interest shown by majority of the (male and female) were planting seeds and harvesting while all the girls liked taking care of plants. 70% of the boys liked taking care of animals, the same percentage 50% liked to cut grass. The chi-square values 3.52, 5.544, 3.52 and 2.840 revealed significant relationship between the children’s interest and motivating factors such as: fear of hunger, leisure friendliness, presence of incentive, and display of achievement, respectively. The result of test of analysis of variance {F cal = 0.75, F tab = 2.87, P<0.05} showed no significant difference between interest shown in agriculture and sex of children.