Attitude of Graduate Youths Towards Agro-allied Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development Programme in Oyo State

Abstract

The paper investigated the agro-allied aspect of the Skill and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED) programme of the National Youth Service Corps in Oyo State. Specifically, the study examined the personal characteristics of the corps members, determined the attitude of the corps members to agro-allied activities of the SAED and identified challenges facing corps members in executing the agro-allied activities. Pre-tested questionnaire was used to elicit information from 100% of the SAED participants which gave a total of 82 graduate youths. Data were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics. The majority (67.1%) of the youths were female. More than half (54.9%) of the youths were in the age category of 24-26 with more than 62.7% having Bachelor of Science/Technology degree. Only 17.1% of the youths had a degree in agriculture. Majority (79.3%) of the youths were into livestock production and 20.7% chose agricultural engineering. Financial independency and ability to manage resources (67.6%), ability to innovate and inspire other youths (12.0%) were the major motivations of youth. The majority (64.0%)of the corps members are favourably disposed towards the programme. Challenges to entrepreneurship were poor supervision of the programme by National Youth Service Corps officials ( =1.89), lack of sufficient facilities for training ( =1.85),inconsistence government policies ( =1.84), incompetence of some of the facilitators ( =1.74) and lack of motivational support by government and other stakeholders ( =1.73). Sex (χ2 =21.07), educational qualification (χ2 =7.47), and marital status (χ2 =5.72) had significant association with attitude. Youth attitude and benefits derived from SAED programme were found to be significant (r=0.38). For further involvement and positive attitude of graduate youths to agro-allied skill set of SAED, financial 14 assistance, supervision, monitoring and psychological motivation should be improved upon by stakeholders and government during and after the youths service year so as to encourage more graduate youths to take up agriculture and agribusiness as a profession and means of livelihood. Engaging graduate youth in agriculture and retaining them in the sector is a strategy that could both contribute to increasing agricultural productivity and address youth unemployment.

Innovation and Employability of National Youth Service Corps Members for Sustainable Development in South-East, Nigeria

“…Th is fi nding suggests that respondents were aware of the benefi ts of the programme, which yielded a favourable disposition towards the SAED programme. Adelakun et al (2019) noted that despite the positive disposition recorded, the programme is still not fulfi lling its stated objectives. By contrast, Ovwigho and Ifi e (2009) carried out a study which revealed that the majority of youths had a negative attitude towards agricultural programmes.…”

“…Th e study by Adelakun, Lawal, Oyegbami and Oyedokun (2019) was on the agro-allied aspect of the Skill And Entrepreneurship Development (SAED) programme of the NYSC programme in Oyo State, with focus on the personal characteristics of the corps members, attitude towards agro-allied activities and impending challenges. To further improve the position of graduate youths towards the agro-allied skill set of SAED, fi nancial assistance, supervision, monitoring and psychological motivation should be advanced upon by all concerned stakeholders during as well as aft er the youth service programme.…”

The Role of Perception in the Entry of Would-Be Entrepreneur Into Agribusiness: A Case Study of Benue State, Nigeria

“…There are many studies on youth in relation to agriculture including Ojebiyi et al (2015), Alao (2018), Jokotola et al (2019) and Adedapo et al (2019) whose works though similar, differ as they only assess the willingness and interest of university graduates and undergraduates to venture into agriculture. The uniqueness of this study is that it took into cognizance youth perceptions of agribusiness as it determines young would-be entrepreneur's likelihood to venture into agribusiness.…”