ASSESSMENT OF RURAL YOUTH PARTICIPATION IN AGRICULTURALBASED LIVELIHOOD ACTIVITIES IN CENTRAL AGRICULTURAL ZONE, CROSS RIVER STATE, NIGERIA.

Abstract

This study assessed rural youth participation in agricultural-based livelihood activities in the Central Agricultural Zone of Cross River State, Nigeria. The study specifically examined the socio-economic characteristics of rural youths, identified the agricultural livelihood activities they engage in, determined their level of participation, and assessed the constraints affecting their involvement. A random sampling technique was used to select 148 rural youth farmers, and data were collected through structured questionnaires and analyzed using percentages and mean statistics. The results showed that the majority of respondents (61.5%) were male, with most (46.6%) aged between 26–30 years. A large proportion (77.7%) were single, with household sizes of five or more persons. About 56.1% had secondary education, while 44.6% had over 10 years of farming experience. Most respondents (71.6%) had bimonthly contact with extension agents, and 69.6% were members of cooperative societies. The majority (65.5%) reported an estimated annual income of ₦1,000,100 and above. In terms of participation, farm labour recorded the highest level of involvement (87.2%) with a high mean score (x̄ = 3.12), ranking first among the livelihood activities. The major constraint identified was lack of capital and limited access to credit (x̄ = 3.19; SD = 0.76). Furthermore, binomial logistic regression analysis indicated that the socio-economic characteristics of the youths had a statistically significant influence on their level of participation at the 1% level of significance. The study concludes that rural youths are actively involved in agricultural livelihood activities, particularly farm labour, but their participation is constrained by financial limitations. It is therefore recommended that youths be supported with adequate information and accessible financial services to enhance their participation in diverse agricultural livelihood activities.