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

Abstract

Abstract The paper investigated the Agro-allied skill set 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. Two Local Government Areas namely: South west and Ido Local Government Areas were purposively selected. Pre-tested structured questionnaire was used to elicit information from a total of 82 corps members. Data obtained were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics. The results revealed that majority (67.1%) of the youths were female. 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 of the youths (79.3%) 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. Majority (64.0%) of the corps members are favourably disposed towards the programme. Challenges to entrepreneurship as major challenges were poor supervision of the programme by NYSC officials (mean=1.89), lack of sufficient facilities for training (mean=1.85), inconsistence government policies (mean=1.84), incompetence of some of the facilitators (mean=1.74) and lack of motivational support by government and other stakeholders (mean=1.73). The inferential statistics analysis shows youth graduates’ sex (χ2 =21.07, p<0.05), educational qualification (χ2 =7.47, p<0.05), and marital status (χ2 =5.72, p<0.05) had significant association with their attitude. Correlation analysis of youth graduates’ attitude and benefits derived from SAED programme was found to be significant (r=0.38, p≤0.00). For further involvement and positive attitude of youth graduates to agro-allied skill set of SAED, financial 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. Also, engaging youth graduates in agriculture and retaining them in the sector is a strategy that could both contribute to increasing agricultural productivity and address youth unemployment. Keywords: Entrepreneurship Development, Youth Graduates, Attitude and Employment