Examining Factors Influencing Youth Farmers' Involvement in Crop and Animal Self-Projects in Rural Areas of Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria

Abstract

The research identified the policy variables necessary to promote youth engagement in crop and animal production within the rural regions of Akwa Ibom State, located in southern Nigeria. A combination of sampling methods was employed to select 300 youth farmers from the study area. To analyze the collected data, descriptive statistics and Poisson regression analyses were conducted. The empirical findings indicated that the number of years youth farmers have participated in social organizations, the frequency with which they access state-owned agricultural programs, the visits from extension agents, their level of formal education, and their purpose for farming all positively influenced the number of crops cultivated and animals raised by them in the rural areas. Conversely, the cost associated with hired labor exhibited a negative correlation with the number of agricultural enterprises adopted by the youth farmers. To enhance youth participation in crop and animal production in the region, it is recommended that the government strengthen the agricultural extension system and implement more youth-focused agricultural intervention programs. Fostering social networks among youth farmers and improving educational facilities in rural areas should be prioritized. Furthermore, an input supply system tailored specifically for youth farmers should be established to decrease production costs. Additionally, the establishment of farm machinery rental centers in the rural areas of the state could help alleviate the high costs of hired labor faced by youth farmers in the region.