ABSTRACT
This study assessed the agriculture engagement of public secondary school teachers in Calabanga District. Specifically, it determined their level of engagement in terms of animal production, crop production, fisheries, agribusiness, and agricultural engineering, identified the driving forces, issues, and challenges in their agriculture engagement, and determined the relationship of driving forces, issues, and challenges to the agriculture engagement of teachers. Descriptive and correlational research methods were employed in the study using random sampling. The respondents were the 203 public secondary school teachers in the district derived from the total number of teachers using the confidence level of 95% and confidence interval. The study used a survey questionnaire comprised of assessing their agricultural engagement and identifying the driving forces, issues, and challenges. The data were statistically treated using frequency, percentage, mean, and Pearson r. Data revealed that the level of agriculture engagement of the respondents is slightly engaged. Also, findings revealed that driving forces, issues and challenges encountered by the teachers. The test of association furtherly revealed that these driving forces, issues, and challenges are associated to the teachers’ level of agriculture engagement.
Keywords: Agriculture engagement, driving forces, issues, challenges
INTRODUCTION
Asia's agricultural education status remains a critical area influenced by various driving forces. It faces numerous challenges, and the engagement of secondary school teachers in agriculture has become a multifaceted issue. According to the Asian Development Bank (2021), the region's agricultural sector is undergoing significant transformations due to changing demand, shifting demographics, and environmental challenges. As the platform of agriculture changes over time, interests of various sectors seem to decline from agriculture.
In Nacario's study (2023), he concluded that the current policies, programs, and plans for the internationalization of agriculture education were insufficient and inadequate to merit global recognition of internationalized educational institutions. This draws the need to improve the agricultural endeavor programs in the local setting. Well-formulated agricultural plans and policies are essential for promoting sustainable, productive, and inclusive agricultural systems. They help address the complex challenges faced by the sector, ensuring its long-term viability and contribution to national and global food security and economic development. As our country is agricultural, the local economy depends on the current state of agriculture. As the study also implies, educational institutions are significant in improving the country's agriculture status.
In the recently released data of the Philippine Statistics Authority (2022), the economic performance for agriculture increased by 5.7% growth in the Gross Domestic Product, the Gross Value Added (GVA) in Agriculture, Forestry, and Fishing share 9.6% in the GDP, a decline by -0.3%. Further, agriculture and fisheries' production value decreased by -1.7% in 2021. As shown, there is somehow a decline in agricultural production in the country. This could also be related to the decrease in interest of the people involved in the sector.
In addition, the weakening of the agricultural sector is not only due to a decrease in farmers and the decline in farmlands but also due to the limited resources accounting for agricultural teaching and learning that hinder the locals from adapting to the changing needs of agriculture. Continuous depredation in income and efforts in the agricultural sector caused next-generation farmers to be disheartened and pursue careers unrelated to agriculture instead.
Calabanga District is a municipality geographically located approximately between 13040' to 13047' north latitude and 123007' to 123022' east longitude and is part of the 3rd Congressional District of the Province of Camarines Sur. Calabanga is a 1st class municipality with an approximate total area of 163.84 sq. km. (16,384 has.). It constitutes 3.1% of the province's land area (Municipality of Calabanga, 2022). Data shows that based on the census of population and housing of the Philippine Statistics Authority in 2020, the district has a population 88, 906, which is 4.30 percent of the total population of Camarines Sur and an estimated population density of 543 inhabitants per square meter.
An article published on the Municipality of Calabanga's official website reported that approximately 50 percent of the total land area is used for agriculture. Agriculture has always been a crucial factor in the economic growth of a country, accounting for 4-25 percent of the Global Gross Development Product. The land use is dominated by crop production such as rice, corn, coconut, abaca, sugarcane, and other diversified root crops. The physical constraints relative to agricultural development revealed that the five most crucial physical land limitations were considered for the project area: moderate to severe erosion, steep slope, mild to severe flooding, poor drainage, and severe salinity (lgucalabanga.com, 2023). The data on the municipality indicates that Calabanga has an agri-based economy. Promoting an agri-based economy is vital for ensuring food security, driving economic growth, and supporting sustainable development. It creates jobs, generates income, and contributes to the overall well-being of the population. By investing in agriculture, countries can achieve long-term economic stability, environmental sustainability, and social cohesion. With its maximum land area used for agriculture and fisheries, it is imperative that the educational institutions also consider its growth and development.
A study by Lubigan (2018) examined the impact of pedagogical competence and technical knowledge on integrating core academics in secondary agricultural education. The study revealed that these factors significantly influenced teachers' ability to incorporate reading into their curriculum. Furthermore, pedagogical competence was a crucial determinant of teachers' proficiency in integrating writing and math. This underscores the need for agricultural educators to develop effective teaching strategies instrumental in integrating reading, writing, and math. Hence, teacher training in agricultural education should adopt a multidimensional approach encompassing various disciplines to engage learners in adapting the proper integration of subjects in the agriculture curriculum.
DepEd Order No. 36, Series of 2015, which focuses on establishing rural farm schools, highlighted the importance of agriculture as a sector. Former Secretary Leonor M. Briones discussed the relationship between agriculture and education. It was noted that the role of agriculture, the production of food, the provision of employment, and the sustenance of our people to agriculture is given so much more importance and attention. "No country, no human being can survive without food, and our food comes from the agricultural sector, and our food is grown by our farmers, our peasants, our workers who are also products of our own educational system," As they are considered best influences on the career options of the youth, are significant on the factors that could engage students in agriculture. They are the ones who primarily deliver knowledge, skills, and attitudes to the learners.
The role of teachers in agriculture development is very important. As they are teachers of awareness, teachers play a vital role in educating students about agriculture, its importance, and its impact on the economy, environment, and society. This foundational knowledge can inspire students to pursue careers in agriculture or support agricultural initiatives. Further, the teachers are integral to skills development. By incorporating agricultural education into the curriculum, teachers can equip students with practical skills and knowledge related to farming, agribusiness, and sustainable practices. This prepares students for future careers and contributes to a skilled agricultural workforce. Engaging teachers in agriculture can foster a culture of innovation and research within schools. Teachers can guide students in conducting agricultural research projects, developing new farming techniques, and exploring technological advancements in agriculture.
However, decline in agricultural involvement and campaigns in schools is observed. Due to the rapid development of technology, interest to the field declined and those who involved also decrease. In educational settings, the students have been affected by this change as they are not now particular of what is happening in the agricultural setting.
As teachers play a significant role in honing students and contributing to nation-building, it is also essential to consider how these teachers may influence the youth in agriculture. The lack of interest among students, the decline of the sector in all urban and rural areas, and the depreciation of income from practicing agriculture must be addressed. This study, if not may contribute, will provide insights on the status of agriculture and the basic education sector. The results of this study may assist the researcher and other stakeholders to participate in the country's agriculture development.
This study aims to assess the agriculture engagement of public secondary school teachers in Calabanga District for the School Year 2023 – 2024. Specifically, it sought to: 1) determine their level of engagement in terms of animal production, crop production, fisheries, agribusiness, and agricultural engineering; 2) identify the driving forces, issues, and challenges in their agriculture engagement; and 3) determine the relationship of driving forces, issues, and challenges to the agriculture engagement of teachers.
see PDF attachment for more information