RURAL YOUTH PARTICIPATION IN AGRICULTURAL-BASED LIVELIHOOD ACTIVITIES IN CENTRAL AGRICULTURAL ZONE, CROSS RIVER STATE, NIGERIA
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Abstract
This study assessed rural youth participation in agricultural-based livelihood activities in then Central Agricultural Zone of Cross River State, Nigeria. The study specifically sought to examine the socio-economic characteristics of rural youths, ascertain the agricultural-based livelihood activities participated in by rural youths, determine the extent of participation and assess the constraints to rural youth participation in agricultural-based livelihood activities. A random sampling technique was used to select 148 rural youth farmers. Data were collected using a set of structured questionnaires and analyzed using percentages and mean statistics. Results of the type
of agricultural-based livelihood activities participated in by youths revealed that majority (87.2%) participated in farm labor with a high extent of participation (x̄ =3.12) ranked 1st. However, the study revealed that lack of capital/access to credit (x̄=3.19; SD = 0.76) was the major constraint to rural youth participation. The result of multinomial logistic regression analysis revealed that sex (0.112), age (1.315), educational level (2.154), years of farming experience (0.205), and estimated annual income (3.112) show a statistically significant influence of the socio-economic characteristics of youths on the extent of participation in agricultural-based livelihood activities at 5% level of significance. The study concluded that youth engagement significantly enhances agricultural-based livelihood but lack of capital emerged as the major constraint limiting their participation in activities in the study area. The study therefore recommends that government and relevant stakeholders design and implement targeted youth agricultural financing schemes and
policies to strengthen youth capacity through entrepreneurship training within the study area.
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