Authors : J.T. Pur , Ibrahim Shehu and Elizabeth Sabo
Abstract: The study examined the role of Youth Associations in empowering youths in Adamawa Central Senatorial District of Adamawa State, Nigeria. The study used primary data obtained through structured questionnaires administered to 186 respondents. A random sampling procedure was used to select 31 associations from 71 registered associations. Descriptive and inferential statistical tools were used for data analysis. Results from the study show almost all of the respondents (96.8%) are between 15-35 years of age, with a dismal 4.3% that had no formal education. Married men and women constituted 32,3% of the respondents while single 67.7%. Result on the skills acquired by youths as a result of joining association`s activities reveals that 84.4% of the respondents acquired one agricultural skill or the other, with crop production, cattle fattening and poultry production accounting for 30.6, 42.5 and 11.3%, respectively. As a result of the skills acquired, 72.6% of the beneficiaries were engaged in the personal agricultural activities. The multiple regression analysis gave an R2 value of 63% revealing that there was no significant relationship between youths` participation in Agricultural activities with age and sex, but experience, income, extension visit and access to credit were found significant at 1% level and educational level at 5%. The study concluded that participation in Agricultural related youth associations was very profitable as those who were found to be participating learned various skills and majority of them extended those technologies to their own farms. It is recommended that credit facilities be made available by both government and non-governmental agencies to youths and also encourage them to join associations so as to reduce redundancy among them.
J.T. Pur , Ibrahim Shehu and Elizabeth Sabo , 2007. The Role of Youth Associations in Empowering Youths in Agricultural Activities in Adamawa State Nigeria . Agricultural Journal, 2: 602-605.