The Nexus Between and Enhancement of Youth’s Involvement in Agriculture: The Case of Eastern Region, Ghana

Abstract

This paper examines youth’s involvement and the factors hindering youth’s involvement in agriculture. The main objective is to access the engagement of Ghanaian youth in the Eastern Region in agriculture and the figure out factors hindering the youth’s involvement in agriculture. The paper finds answers to the following questions; what really induce the youth to enter into agriculture? What conditions prevents youth from engaging in agriculture? Qualitative research techniques (interviews) were used. The choice model as well as the probit model was used in this paper. It was revealed that most of the youth engaged in agriculture are male as compared to female. Also, most of the youth are not interested in agriculture because of lack of credit facilities, limited startup capital, poor faming technology, use of primitive tools, soil degradation and limited farm lands. It was further revealed the youth migrate to the urban areas to search for job, good industries to work with, good social amenities, good education, and access to loans and enjoy high standard of living in the urban areas. Attention should be given to the factors leading to youth migrating to the urban areas. In addition, the limitations facing the youth in agriculture must be examined.

Keywords: Agriculture, Job choice, Migration, Unemployment, Youth.

DOI: 10.7176/JBAH/9-10-03

Publication date:May 31^st 2019