Preparing School Students for Agricultural Entrepreneurship: Unravelling the Impact of Entrepreneurial School Garden Project Engagement on Students’ Attitudes

Abstract

This study explores the impact of engaging students in the Entrepreneurial School Garden Project (ESGP) on their attitudes, focusing on preparing them for future agricultural business. ESGP integrates practical gardening activities into the curriculum and co-curriculum to enhance students' competencies in food nutrition, agriculture, and entrepreneurship. The program seeks to foster resilience against food shortages and economic challenges while promoting positive attitudes toward agricultural business ventures. Data were collected via surveys from 145 students of 5 schools in the Jaffna district who participated in the project to assess changes in students' personal well-being, social well-being, and environmental well-being attitudes. The findings of this study indicated significant improvements in entrepreneurial attitudes; enhancements were observed in personal, social, and environmental well-being. Increased engagement in gardening activities is positively correlated with improvement of attitudes, with notable gender differences; females demonstrated more significant gains compared to male students. Qualitative insights from interviews, observations, and document analyses revealed that engagement in gardening enhanced responsibility, improved social skills and teamwork, and enhanced environmental awareness and stewardship. The frequency and duration of engaging in gardening activities had a strong influence on perceived changes in students’ entrepreneurial attitudes