Result and Discussion

2. Result and Discussion

agriculture as a profession in Ibeku High School, Umuahia North Municipality of Abia State.

Data generated were subjected to both descriptive and inferential statistical analysis (Percentages, Means,

1.2 Methodology etc.). The findings are as presented in Tables 1-5.

A research project jointly executed by The socio-economic characteristics of the respondents NRCRI/ARCN which involved extending research

are presented in Table 1. The findings revealed that activities of the mandate crops of the Institute to

59.0% were males, while females constituted 41.0%. schools not more than 20 kilometers drive from the

This may mean that sex is not a barrier to taking coordinating NARI was executed at Ibeku High

agriculture as a profession as a student may gain School in Umuahia Municipality. This was with a

wealth of experience from both sexes. Their ages view to ensure the following by the coordinating

ranged from 13-21 years, with a mean age of 16.0 for NARI in the school:

males while that of females was 12. About 69.8% of  A resource centre with up-to-date information on

the respondents were within the age range of 16-18 various aspects of agriculture.

years, indicating that students at this level of education  Empower the schools with relevant technologies

are almost entirely youths and this group dominates and facilities.

the population in Nigeria. Many of our farmers who

 Promote modern/appropriate agricultural grow bulk of food produced in the country are now technologies in the school.

old, making it difficult to increase food production.

Perception of Agricultural Science /Home Economics as a Career among Senior

Secondary School Students in Abia State, Nigeria

Table 1 Distribution of respondents according to their socio-economic characteristics.

Sex Male Female Total

109 (100) Age range (yrs) ≤ 12

16.0 12.0 Marital Status Single

Number of years of farming experience.

Membership of society at school.

10 (9.1) Debating Society

Young Farmers Club

45 (41.3) Others (Drama, jets, sports etc.) 33 (30.0)

Source: Field Survey Data 2010. The figures in parenthesis are in percentages.

If the situation is not checked, food insecurity in the percentage (9.1%) of the students belonged to an country would reach a crisis point. The result also

agriculturally oriented society, that is, the Young showed that 59.0% of the males and 41.0% of the

Farmers’ club (YFC). The need to expose them to females respectively of the respondents were single.

agricultural activities outside the school, example, This showed that early child marriage in the study

excursion/tours, workshop and so forth is advocated to area is not encouraged, which may be cultural as

boost their interest in the profession. It is very crucial against in some cultures where young girls of about 12

too that the young people are taught early in life how years or below are given out in marriage.

to organize themselves into cooperatives so as to

A negligible percentage of the students (13.5%) had boost the agricultural sector. This requires urgent no farming experience while 48.5% had farming

intervention programmes or else, the dream to achieve experience ranging from 2-3 years. This assessment

self-reliance in food supply will continue to be an was based on the students contact with agricultural

illusion.

activities both at home and in school. For the fact that

2.1 Figures in Parenthesis Are in Percentages some of them were born and bred in urban areas, they

do not have the facilities to participate in agricultural Table 2 showed that 17.0% and 25.0% of the males activities. A critical challenge for sustainable and females respectively were involved in farming agricultural and rural development in Nigeria requires

activities at home, while 31.0% of the males and mobilization of the larger number of youths to

27.0% of the females respectively were involved at participate in developmental process. A negligible

school. The low participation of the students in

Perception of Agricultural Science /Home Economics as a Career among Senior

Secondary School Students in Abia State, Nigeria

Table 2 Distribution of respondents according to involvement in farming enterprises.

Total Have you been involved in Yes 58 (53.2)

Male

Female

104 (95.4) farming activities before?

5 (4.6) Mean 29.5 25.0 Where Home

Type of farming enterprise with experience.

Crop production

75 (69.0) Animal production

23 (21.0) Crop processing

11 (10.0) Fish farming --- Mean

List of crops you know how to grow.

7 (3.0) Sweet potato

14 (6.0) Fruits --- Others (Horticulture etc.)

Multiple Responses List of livestock they know how to keep.

List of value-added products they know how to prepare from.

Yam Yam flour, livestock feed

26 (23.0) Sweet potato

Strip, jam, drinks, cake

Flour, odourless fufu, confectionaries

Crips, soup thickener

Pop corn, pap etc.

Powder spice, drinks, confectionaries

5.2 13.0 Source: Field Survey data, 2010.

Perception of Agricultural Science /Home Economics as a Career among Senior

Secondary School Students in Abia State, Nigeria

farming activities at home may be attributed to the agricultural science /home economics in schools. location of the school as most students live with their

Teachers should be well motivated to take up the parents and guardians in Umuahia Municipality and

challenges of teaching the students and exposing them visit their homes (villages) at festive periods in most

to practical to influence their choice of course as a cases which are outside the farming season.

profession. Education is more than a transfer of Type of farming enterprises with experience was

knowledge to youths, adults. It plays a key role in identified among the students. Sixty-nine percent of

personality development and self-esteem. It is not the students had experience in crop production, 21.0%

only human right but also a tool for development. in livestock and 10.0% in crop processing. None had

The attitude of students as to the choice of experience in fish farming as this may be due to

agriculture as a career is also reflected in Table 3. mainly lack of streams and rivers within the location

About 48.5% of the students were in the affirmative as of the school which is where such activities may take

to the choice of agriculture as a career, while 51.5% place despite homestead fish ponds being introduced.

were not. According to Ajah [3], attitude is a way of It is worthy of note that the knowledge of various

thinking or feeling of a person which makes him or agricultural disciplines by students are required for the

her to behave or act in a particular way. Participation growth and development of agricultural sub-sectors

or involvement of youths in agriculture is a way to which comprise crop, livestock, fishery, agro-forestry,

increasing their skills, knowledge, confidence and self processing and utilization among others. Having

reliance and opportunity to collaborate and engage in positive attitudes augmented by interest towards the

sustainable development [19, 20]. From Table 3, disciplines becomes paramount and necessary to

reasons were adduced as to why some of the students influence students’ enrolment and continuing as

would like to embark in agricultural activities. These agriculturists.

ranged from self-sufficiency in food (30.0%), more In adding value to crops introduced in the school

income for the farm family (26.5%) and as a way of farm, girls dominated generally, invariably from those

life (19.5%).

offering Home Economics and from their The most constraining factor for not wanting to take parents/guardians at home. One of the components of

up agriculture as a career ranged from finance (36.4%) the research programme to the school was the

to land (23.0%), labour (16.5) among others. From the extension of value-addition activities to students and

table also 58.0% of the students were encouraged by teachers, such that the crops will be processed into

their parents to take up agriculture as a profession, other food forms for more income to the family, food

while 41.0% were not. Outside the school, students security and to avoid wastage of the crops at harvest,

are exposed through the mass media and interpersonal which are highly perishable when not processed.

contacts but not to be able to practice innovations they come in contact with.

2.2 Figures in Parenthesis Are in Percentages Other professional careers that the students would

The result in Table 3 showed that 85% of the like to embark upon are enumerated in table 3. The students agreed that they had experienced teaching

highest interest was in the field of medicine (22.0%), staff with the following certificates; NCE, B. Ed., B.

followed by engineering (20.5%) and the least was for Sc, M. Ed., M. Sc., while 15.0% stated otherwise. The

politics (1.5%). This however revealed that majority government and other stakeholders in secondary

of the students intended to pursue other professions school education should endeavor to provide than agriculture as a career. While food can be seen appropriate facilities and enabling environment for

as our most precious possession, farming and the

Perception of Agricultural Science /Home Economics as a Career among Senior

Secondary School Students in Abia State, Nigeria

Table 3 Distribution of respondents according to perception of Agricultural Science/Home Economics as a Career.

Males Females Total Do you have experienced teaching staff on Agricultural Science/Home Economics

Will you choose agric. Science/home economics as Yes

a career?

If yes, why? Increased food production

As a way of life

Self-sufficiency in food

More income to the family

If not, why? Land constraint

Not profitable

Do not like it

Do you think your parents will encourage you to Yes

choose agric. Science/home economics as a career? No

List other professional career you would like to pursue

Mass Communication/Journalism

Accounting/Banking

Agricultural Science

Business/Marketing

Others (Religious, Sports, etc.)

Source: Field Survey Data, 2010.

production of food is seen as a last option, carried out

counterparts in other fields. Farmers are seen in the

by those considered incapable of anything else.

society as ignorant, unprogressive and conservative.

Education plays a key role in forming this attitude

This misconception view of farmers discourages the

both among consumers and farmers themselves [21].

youths from taking agriculture seriously. There is

There is always a reason for every action, including

need for local production of appropriate modern tools

the choice of a career. As people have special

to replace old ones and um-improved tools. Again,

recognition of other fields of endeavor such as

provision of basic amenities in the rural areas will

engineering, medicine, law, agriculture is held in low

reduce drastically rural-urban drift by most youths

esteem. The government and society give less

who leave the rural areas in search of non-existing

recognition to graduates of agriculture than their

white collar jobs in the urban areas.

Perception of Agricultural Science /Home Economics as a Career among Senior

Secondary School Students in Abia State, Nigeria

2.3 Figures in Parenthesis Are in Percentages farms accounting for 54.0%, lectures 15.0%, while TV programme accounted for 12.0%. It is worthy of note

Results in table 4 showed how much the that the News media outfit of the Institute airs her demonstration carried out in the school impacted on activities on TV, Radio stations and print media the students. Their general impression about the within and outside the state of domicile. Some of the project was assessed and this ranged from the students students and their agricultural science teachers were being exposed to things they did not know before involved in workshop organized by the Institute and (25.0%), to better explanation of things (23.0%)

other bodies.

among others. Again, 60% of the respondents Adopting a likert scale, values were attached to the discussed the technologies demonstrated at school variables as follows: not good = 0, fair = 1, good = 2 with their parents/guardians, while 40.0% did not.

and very good = 3.

Students had varying perceptions about the

A 4 point scale was used to determine the level of technologies demonstrated. About 31.0% saw them as impression the students had on the AROC project feasible, 21.0% as adoptable, while 22.0% saw them demonstrated at the school as indicated above. This as adaptable and 21.0% easy to practice respectively.

will be achieved thus:

On new things learnt, 20.0% were on fertilizer use and

ΣX

methods of application, 17.0% on appropriate crop

Xs=

mixture and 15.0% were on appropriate plant spacing

Σfn

and new crop varieties introduced respectively.

Xs=

Agricultural development in terms of research is

Where

Ʃ = Summation

very necessary as professional in different areas of

F = Frequency

agriculture should receive training from higher

n = Likert minimal value

institutions and other professional bodies to be

N = Number of respondents

relevant in the system.

Xs = Level of impression

Result of the interview showed that based on other

observations from the project, 36.0% of the students

Xs=

observed high yield of the crops planted. Other

Xs = Σfn =

observations were on ease of crop management

(24.0%) and 18.0% on good weed check based on (2) good crop coverage of the ground beneath.

Since the level of impression cannot be negative Information on technologies demonstrated was

(the threshold is zero), a score of 1.5 and above from the following sources, demonstration in school

indicates a good impression of the project.

Table 4 Effect of the Outreach Programme of NRCRI/ARCN on the students.

Impression about the programme

Exposed me to things I did not know before

Explained things better to me

Practically oriented

Technologies demonstrated were easy to understand

They were new to me Yes

17 (10.0) Mean 14.0 15.0 Did you discuss technologies demonstrated at school with your parents/guardians? Yes

No

No

Perception of Agricultural Science /Home Economics as a Career among Senior

Secondary School Students in Abia State, Nigeria

Table 4 continued Impression about the programme

Mean 27 26.5 What was their perception on the technologies demonstrated Feasible

Easy to practice

Do not know

New things learnt from the programme Appropriate spacing for the crops planted

Crop varieties introduced

Fertilizer use and methods of application

Crops mixture (combination)

Plant geometry

Weeding regime

Different methods of harvesting crops planted

Other observations made from the programme High yield of crops planted

Ease of crop/farm management

Good weed check because of crop coverage

Ridges adopted were better than mounds Yes

Means of information on technologies to students Demonstration in school farms

TV programmes

Radio programmes

Any other specify

Source: Field Survey data, 2010.

Table 5 Likert Scale to determine the impression of the student about the AROC Project in the school.

Impression Male

Female

Total

Not good

Very good

3. Conclusions/Recommendation

tomorrow. Rejuvenation of agriculture in Nigeria

Youths constitute an important segment of any

means changing dimension and attention to the youths

community as they constitute about 45% of Nigerian

who will take over from the less productive adults.

population, a vital source of manpower and leaders of

Several factors have been identified to influence the

Perception of Agricultural Science /Home Economics as a Career among Senior

Secondary School Students in Abia State, Nigeria

interest and attitude of youths in agriculture generally

http://www.thisday.com. [10] Abdusalam-Saghir, P. B., Aromolaran, K. A., and

and particularly at the Senior Secondary School class Ajeigbe, S. A. 2008. “Perception of male and female rural

of Ibeku High School, in Umuahia Municipality. This youths towards Agriculture as a vocation in ranged from the negative perception of the society

Obafemi-Owode LGA of Ogun State.” In Proceeding of towards agriculture, unfavourable environment in

17th Annual Congress of Nigers Rural Sociological Association held at National Root Crops Research

most schools and the inability of research to reach out Institute, Umudike, Abia State, Nigeria.

to these schools. Government should enforce a policy [11] Burton, E. Stevenson, 2010. Chapter 19, Strengthening of establishing farms in schools, well equipped and

research—extension-farmer linkages, Mozilla Firefox 3 rd with well trained teachers and schools be allowed to

August, 2010. [12] Jonathan, F. C. 1995. Background Paper, Extension and

form the youths into Young Farmers Club that could Rural Youth Programmes, Summary of country

motivate the students. Papers. FAO Corporate Document Repository.In: Natural Resources Management and Environment Department,

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June 2014, Vol. 8, No. 6, pp. 544-551

Journal of Life Sciences, ISSN 1934-7391, USA DAVID PUBLISHING

Flavonoïds from Euphorbia guyoniana Boissier & Reuter

1 2 2 2 2 Ouanissa Smara 1 , Audrey Julia , Cécile Moral-Salmi , Claire Vigor , Joseph Vercauteren and Belgacem Legseir 1. LSBO (Laboratory of Synthesis and Bioorganic), Department of chemistry, Faculty of science, University of Badji Mokhtar

Annaba, Algeria

2. Laboratory of Pharmacognosy, University of Montpellier 1, Faculty of Pharmacy, 15 Void Charles Flahault B.P. 14491, 34093 Montpellier CEDEX 5, France

Received: March 02, 2014 / Accepted: June 14, 2014 / Published: June 30, 2014.

Abstract: In this work, aerial parts of Euphorbia guyoniana were studied. The use of preparative high pressure liquid chromatography allowed to isolate two flavonoids and a gallic tannins: Quercetine-3O- β-D-glucuronide, kaempferol-3O- β-D-glucuronide and 1, 2, 6 tri-O-galloyl-β-D-glucose. Identifications were carried out using spectroscopic methods. In addition, scavenger potential of these compounds was studied using DPPH test.

Key words: Euphorbia guyoniana, flavonoids, quercetin-3O-glucuronide, kaempferol-3O-glucuronide, gallic tannin.