Rural Youth Participation in Agriculture-Based livelihood Activities in Abuja, Nigeria

 Rural Youth Participation in Agriculture-Based livelihood Activities in Abuja, Nigeria

 Suleiman Ari Maisule1, Samson Olayemi Sennuga1, Joseph Bamidele3, Alabuja Funso Omolayo2 & Osho-Lagunju Bankole1
1Department of Agricultural Extension and Rural Sociology, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Abuja, FCT, P.M.B. 117, Abuja, Nigeria
2Department of Agricultural Economics, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Abuja, FCT, P.M.B. 117, Abuja, Nigeria
3Faculty of Business and Law, University of Northampton, Northampton, UK
Corresponding Author’s E-mail: dr.yemisennuga@yahoo.co.uk, sulemanbiu@yahoo.com
Received: 15 February 2023; Revised: 23 March 2023; Accepted: 29 March 2023; Published: 08 April 2023

Abstract:- The study examined the factors affecting rural youth participation in agriculture-based livelihood activities in Bwari Area Council Abuja, Nigeria. The study was conducted in Ushafa, Peyi, Jigo and Pambara in Bwari. four objectives guided the study. The study adopted a descriptive research design. Purposive sampling technique was employed to select the communities in which youth are predominant for the study. Focus groups, in-depth interviews, and a structured interview schedule were used to gather primary data. Data were analyzed using frequency and percentages. The sample size of the study was 100 rural youth made up of 25 youths from each of the communities which were purposively selected. The result pointed out that this high low level of participation was due to a lack of finance (90%), a lack of inputs (88%), a lack of production and management skills (60%), environmental issues (74%), market access (58%), and market unavailability (57%) which are the major challenges that the youth face when opting for a profession in agriculture. However, The study discovered that the majority of youth aspired to non-agricultural occupations such as skilled jobs and business rather than agricultural occupations despite having a mixed perception towards it. Hence, it is recommended that, adequate support and capital investment should be made available and Youth extension should be included in each state’s agricultural extension intervention programs to encourage active youth participation in agricultural production and food security efforts etc. Finally all stakeholders must make efforts to create favourable environment for increasing youth participation in agriculture-based livelihood activities through the Ministry of Agriculture, should consider a strategies to encourage, educate, as well as help the youth who want to work and have interest in agriculture.

Key Words: Youth, participation, agricultural, extension

I. Introduction

Economic growth, increased food security, the abolition of destitution, and rural development are all dependent on agriculture. It is the main source of income for roughly 2.5 billion people in the developing globe. (Sennuga, Fadiji and Thaddeus, 2020). According to Research Training Program (RTP), the proportion of farmer homes (RTP) to all families has tended to decrease over the past ten years. (Jabal, Zul and Fithri, 2021). The decrease in agricultural families indicates that there are fewer farmers and farmworkers overall. Aging rural populations and urbanization both have an impact on the availability of qualified workers in agriculture worldwide, according to (Kidido, Bugri, and Kasanga, 2017). This autumn serves as a stark reminder of the declining demand for jobs in the agricultural sector. Food availability, especially as the number of farmer families decreases along with farmer productivity and agricultural land productivity, will become a more difficult issue in Nigeria. In developing countries, youth are encouraged to embrace a mix of agricultural principles, technology, and entrepreneurship that will strengthen food security (Jabal, Zul and Fithri, 2021). According to a study by Thomas and Eforuoku (2020), Nigeria’s farmer community is aging. The agricultural industry, which is dominated by an older group, is basically unable to reach the production levels required to feed the world’s expanding population. There are many opportunities in agriculture that have the potential to greatly enhance both the national income and the personal lives of farmers, particularly young ones.
Although the majority of Nigerian adolescents are uninterested in agricultural endeavors, Thomas and Eforuoku (2020) also claimed that they have the power to advance agriculture. Ajay and Umesh (2021) noted that rural youth make up a significant portion of rural society and are essential to agriculture and rural development. They will be held accountable for the development of the rural and agricultural sectors in the future. Youth is the most significant segment of the population because of their enthusiasm, vibrancy,

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