Omani School Students’ Attitudes toward Agriculture: Investigating the Role of Gender and Geographical Regions

A 24-item questionnaire was designed to collect specific data in order to determine Omani students’ attitudes toward agriculture and, specifically, whether or not these attitudes differ according to gender and the geographical regions where students reside. A survey research method based on the use of a questionnaire was employed. The questionnaire items were divided into four domains: participants’ general knowledge about agriculture, their personal interest about agriculture, the role of government in supporting agriculture, and the role of agriculture in food security. The questionnaire was administered to 394 randomly selected Grade 10 students. Participants consisted of 189 male students and 205 female students in total. Questionnaires were distributed to 130 students from North Al Batinah Governorate, 142 from Al-Dakhiliyah Governorate, and 122 from Muscat Governorate. Questionnaire reliability was calculated using Cronbach’s alpha, an internal consistency method, which resulted in a value of 0.83 for the instrument. The study was conducted in the 2016/2017 academic year. The findings indicated that students’ attitudes toward agriculture, overall, were positive and both gender and geographical region had an effect upon their attitudes. The results of this study demonstrate a need to recommend improving students’ attitudes towards agriculture, especially for students who reside in the Muscat Governorate; for example, schools should be encouraged to include agricultural collaborative learning activities, both inside and outside the classroom. Overall, the study results suggest a benefit in conducting additional research in the area of agriculture education in Oman.

The Structure of Citizen Preferences for Government Soil Erosion Control Programs

The 1990 Farm Bill contains several measures concerning soil erosion caused by U.S. farmers. Data from a nationwide survey of people conerning their attitudes toward agriculture were used to examine the structure of respondents' preferences for government support-policies to combat soil erosion. Estimates of the influence of socio-economic and demographic variables on policy preferences were computed using a multiple-indicator model. Results show more support for the regulation of soil erosion, including laws and fines, than for government financial support.

Attitudes Toward Government Involvement in Agriculture: Results of a National Survey

This study reports results from a nation-wide survey of public attitudes toward agriculture. The study focuses on attitudes toward government involvement in agriculture across regions of the county and residential categories.