Youths' Perceptions of and Attitudes Towards the Ifugao Rice Terraces

Abstract

A survey of 100 students was conducted among third and fourth year high school students in the UNESCO heritage municipalities of Banaue, Mayoyao, Hungduan, and Kiangan, Ifugao. It aimed to look into the perceptions and attitudes of young people towards the Ifugao Rice Terraces, determine the relationship between the students' perceptions of, and attitudes towards the Ifugao Rice Terraces ang their plan to engage in agriculture in the future, and recommend strategies to enhance the involvement of the youth in the management and conservation of the Ifugao Rice Terraces. The survey reveals that only about one-fourth of the students will likely be involved in agriculture or in farming in the future, and the majority will engage in non-agriculture occupations.

Three categorical variable were significantly associated with the students' choice of future occupation, namely, sex, ethnic group, and school. Income and academic standing have a negative correlation, while age was directly correlated with desired occupation in the future. Although on the average the students have favorable perceptions of, and attitudes towards the rice terraces, the very small number of students interested with agriculture may threaten the existence of the terraces. Thus, it is recommended that the values of the terraces should be integrated into the public and private elementary and high school curricula; the students should be involve in various terrace farming activities as part of their practical arts or agriculture subjects; and the students should be provided with incentives such as scholarships and jobs to rekindle their interest in agriculture-and forestry-related courses.

Source or Periodical Title

Journal of Environmental Science and Management

ISSN

0119-1144

Page

52-58

Document Type

Article

Frequency

semi-annually

Physical Description

tables, map

Language

English

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