Factors Influencing Child Labour Utilisation in Agriculture among Rural Households In Mafeteng District, Lesotho

Abstract

This study was aimed at assessing the utilization of child labour in agriculture and factors influencing it amongst rural households in Ramoetsane Community Council, Mafeteng District in Lesotho. Multistage random sampling technique was used to select 156 household heads as respondents in this study. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data which was analysed using descriptive statistics and a binary logistic regression model. The descriptive findings revealed that parents/guardians engaged children in agricultural activities such as herding animals, harvesting and carrying food and fodder, administering veterinary drugs and vaccines to animals, ploughing the fields, sowing seeds, removing weeds, and selling fruits and vegetables in the streets. The majority (60%) of the household heads were married females and mostly aged 70 years and older. A lot of household heads had primary education and earned their living from agriculture with a monthly household income of less than M1000.00 and a mean household size of 7 members. Binary regression analysis revealed access to farm machinery (p=0.017), land size (p=0.028), cost of children’s education (p=0.025), education level (p=0.172), household income (p=0.139) and culture (p=0.000) as statistically significant factors that influenced child labour engagement in household agricultural activities in the study area. It was, therefore, recommended that free education should be extended to secondary education and that law enforcement agencies should enforce all legal provisions to protect the rights and welfare of the children.