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The Importance of Agricultural Knowledge in Early Childhood Education: A Scoping Review
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Abstract
Indonesia is an agrarian country and has potential in agriculture that is not in line with the potential of supporting human resources. Therefore, it is necessary to introduce agriculture from an early age. Early childhood learning programs with an agricultural perspective can equip children with knowledge about the importance of agriculture as well as basic skills such as caring for, watering and planting plants. This research aims to understand the importance of agriculture-based learning in early childhood education environments. This research method uses Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analyze Extensions for scoping reviews using 3 databases namely science direct, google Scholar, and sage journals. The literature reviewed from the scoping review obtained 8 articles that fulfilled the use of qualitative and quantitative or mixed methods. The types of journals produced are mostly children's education journals, environmental education journals for children, and journals about nutrition for children. Many research subjects also center on children's intelligence, scientific and nature-friendly attitudes, cognitive, language, and social skills that children can acquire from gardening or agriculture-based learning. From data collection and preparation of literature material, benefits from agricultural-based learning programs are obtained. This benefit is the basis for the importance of agriculture-based learning in kindergarten children. The benefits of agricultural learning-based activities in Early Childhood Education (ECE) include increasing early childhood knowledge and love for agricultural activities, increasing children's naturalistic intelligence, promoting healthy food in early childhood, environmentally friendly attitudes, and cognitive intelligence.
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Introduction
Indonesia is an agricultural country, which means that Indonesia has abundant natural wealth, and many Indonesians work in the farm sector. From a geographical perspective, Indonesia is located in a region with high rainfall. It is a tropical area with even sunlight intensity, thus producing various kinds of agricultural commodities such as palm oil, rubber, cocoa, etc. The Center for Research and Development of Land Resources in 2016 showed that 15.9 million ha of land in Indonesia has the potential for agricultural areas(B.B.S.D.L.P., 2017).
Indonesia's vast agricultural land has enormous potential to support the national economy. The high agrarian potential in Indonesia requires human resources who are capable and professional in the agricultural sector. Agricultural knowledge intelligent service technology is now seen as a fundamental solution to the challenges of organising and utilising agricultural information, enhancing the quality and yield of farm products(Zhao, 2023). Furthermore, a review of agrarian literacy studies underscores the pivotal role 133
Education and age are essential to sustain farmers' resources who can produce quality agricultural commodities. Based on the results of the 2018 inter-census agricultural survey, the farm workforce is primarily elderly, namely 20.8% 55-46 years old, 27.4% 45-54 years old, and 24% in the 35-44year-old age group 4% (Kementerian(Pertanian, 2021). The survey results show that young people's interest in becoming agricultural entrepreneurs is still low. Therefore, it is necessary to increase young people's interest in the farm sector through applicable learning methods in schools about agriculture. Practical learning about agriculture can be taught to middle school, elementary school-age children, and even early childhood.
The younger generation tends to have less desire to work in the agricultural sector, especially to become a farmer, because they are less likely to have a degree and provide less guarantee for the future(Susilowati, 2016). The younger generation has obstacles in becoming young farmers because there is a lack of income for farmers, it is challenging to obtain ownership of an adequate farm, and there needs to be more availability of part-time jobs. This causes the younger generation to be reluctant to take up the farming profession and have no desire to be interested in agriculture. The lack of agricultural knowledge in the younger generation causes a decline in the younger generation's interest in pursuing a career in agriculture. This phenomenon is a severe issue of agricultural poverty in Indonesia. Indeed, the digital transformation is reshaping agricultural knowledge, fostering enhanced human-tech connectivity and augmented transparency, although it poses governance challenges.
Currently, knowledge about agriculture among children is shallow(Trexler, 2000), especially for children who live in urban environments. Introduction to the potential of agriculture in early childhood has an excellent opportunity to increase interest, awareness and development in the future. Providing agricultural insight into early childhood can facilitate understanding and concern for nature and the surrounding environment, especially in the farming sector. For instance, a study by Kountios et al. (2023) emphasises the influential role of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in transmitting agricultural knowledge, shaping a competitive edge in the field.
Learning about agriculture at an early age will increase interest and liking for agriculture in young Indonesians from an early age. Early childhood learning programs with an agricultural perspective can teach children the importance of agriculture and basic skills such as caring for, watering and planting plants. Therefore, this research aims to understand the significance of agricultural-based learning programs in early childhood education. This research uses the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analyze Extensions for scoping reviews using three databases, namely Science Direct, Google Scholar, and Sage journals(Tricco et al., 2018).
Methods
In this research, we aim to review relevant literature regarding the importance of agriculture-based learning programs in early childhood to increase young children's knowledge and interest in agriculture. The method used in this study was a scoping review using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMAScR) checklist(Tricco et al., 2018). This design uses several questions prepared using 5 of the six stages developed by Arksey and O'Malley (Arksey O'Malley, 2005). The five stages are identifying the research question, identifying relevant studies, study selection, data extraction, and collating, summarising and reporting the results(Levac et al., 2010).
Identifying the research question
The questions in this research were prepared using specific keywords using PICO. Researchers used particular keywords arranged according to the PICO framework (Population, Intervention, Comparison, Outcome). PICO is a model for developing questions that are structured to be relevant(Eriksen & Frandsen, 2018).
| P | I | C | O |
|---|---|---|---|
| Early childhood | Know about agricultureEfforts to increase young children's knowledge and interest in agriculture through agriculture-based learning programs in ECE | Lack of knowledge about agricultureLack of agriculture-based learning programs in ECE | Increased knowledge and intelligence as well as emotional early childhood through agriculture-based learning |
Identifying relevant studies
The literature search will include published and unpublished primary studies and reviews (grey literature). The databases used are Science Direct, Google Scholar, and Sage Journals. Search for relevant articles using keywords in English and Indonesian: gardening-based learning program in early childhood education to increase knowledge and love of agriculture.
Figure 1.PRISMA Flowchart
Study Selection
Literature was selected by identifying relevant articles using inclusion and exclusion criteria. The first screening of the title and abstract was with inclusion criteria, namely original research,
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