Assessing Differences in the Perception and Awareness of Food Science and Technology amongst High School Learners in the Five Districts of the Limpopo Province of South Africa

摘要

Scarcity of food scientists in developing countries is a global and emerging critical problem requiring efforts to address global food security. The perception and awareness of Food Science and Technology (FST) amongst the majority of high school learners (HSL) in Limpopo province was low at about 25 percent. The present study covered 1,539 high schools in all the five districts of Limpopo. A structured questionnaire was used to capture information from the HSL. The results show that there are significant differences in the awareness and knowledge of FST among the districts. Awareness in Sekhukhune district is 46 percent, while that in the other districts ranges from 18 percent to 25 percent. If developing continents, like Africa, are to overcome food insecurity, deliberate efforts need to be made to ascertain that FST, as a discipline, receives the proper image and boost in enrolment.