Attracting Youth to Agriculture: The Career Interests of Young Farmers Club Members in Uganda

Abstract

This embedded, quantitative case study included 102 participants who were members of Young Farmers Clubs (YFCs) from two secondary schools in eastern Uganda. The study’s multifold purpose was to describe YFC members’ personal characteristics and their reasons for joining the clubs. In addition, the study sought to determine the career interests/aspirations of the YFC members and factors influencing their decisions about career choices. Cross-sectional survey methodology was used to collect data. The findings showed a high number of members were interested in pursuing careers related to science. Students mainly joined the clubs to improve their academic performance, for personal interests, and to gain life skills. Intrinsic factors were the main influencers of career choice. Club activities had less influence on the members’ career aspirations. The results point to a need for teachers, guidance counselors, and parents to consider students’ interests and abilities when guiding them about career choices. Advisors should provide meaningful learning experiences for club members to explore their career interests and aptitudes. Future studies should assess the impact of childhood experiences on stimulating the career interests of adolescents, especially in developing countries.