CARDI, Value Chain, Agribusiness, Protected Agriculture, Roots and Tubers

Research has shown that the public's image of agriculture is a kaleidoscope of leftover attitudes and images of what agriculture was sixty years ago. Generally, the perception of society consists of limited ideas of the nature, scale, viability and economic importance of agriculture. Primarily, the continuous movement of agriculture misconceptions from one generation to another that often discourages individuals from pursuing agriculture as a career choice. In Trinidad and Tobago, it is speculated that parents discourage their children to pursue a career in agriculture because the ideology of a farmer for them does not signify success within the social stratification of society. In order for development to occur in the agriculture sector, young people need to fill the technical and non-technical roles in the sector. The most accepted perception among youths about a career in agriculture is that it is not as prestigious or lucrative as compared to professions in the medical, legal and energy fields. Generally youths that are interested in a career in agriculture either have a rich family history in agriculture or reside in a rural community. Rural youths have shown to be more knowledgeable about agriculture and agriculture careers compared to their urban counterparts because of the difference in the level of interaction with agriculture professionals. The students of urban schools in Trinidad and Tobago such as Tunapuna Government Primary School, still exhibit common misconceptions of a career in agriculture. A survey was conducted with the students and staff of the Tunapuna Government Primary School in order to assess their knowledge and perception of agriculture and agriculture careers. The responses were compared using analysis of variance to determine any differences in the knowledge and perception between the students and staff. The results showed significant differences between the responses of the students and staff of the Tunapuna Government Primary School. It was recommended that more emphasis should be placed on agriculture programmes in inner city schools to motivate the students towards pursuing a career in agriculture. This study was conducted as a preliminary study to assess whether agriculture programmes can be used as a social development tool for the students