Youth Participation in Agriculture and Poverty Reduction in Nigeria

Romanus Osabohien, Alexander Wiredu (), Paul Matin Dontsop Nguezet, Djana Babatima Mignouna, Tahirou Abdoulaye, Victor Manyong, Zoumana Bamba and Bola Amoke Awotide
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Romanus Osabohien: Department of Economics and Development Studies, Covenant University, Ota 112212, Nigeria
Paul Matin Dontsop Nguezet: Social Science and Agribusiness, International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Kalemie 570, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Djana Babatima Mignouna: International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Cotonou 08 BP 0932, Benin
Tahirou Abdoulaye: Social Science and Agribusiness, International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Bamako 91094, Mali
Victor Manyong: Social Science and Agribusiness, International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Dar es Salam 34441, Tanzania
Zoumana Bamba: Country Representative, International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Kinshasa 4163, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Bola Amoke Awotide: Social Science and Agribusiness, International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Bamako 91094, Mali

Sustainability, 2021, vol. 13, issue 14, 1-19

Abstract: With data from 683 systematically selected households, the study employed the Heckman two-stage model and the propensity score matching method (PSM) to examine the impact of youth participation in agriculture as a primary occupation on income and poverty in Nigeria. The results indicate that the gender of the youth and their determination to stay in agriculture significantly increases the probability that youth will participate in agriculture as a primary occupation. In addition, youth participation in agriculture as a main occupation contributes significantly to per capita household income and has the likelihood to reduce poverty by 17%. The daily wage rate of hired labor and the total farmland owned are the variables that positively explained the per capita income. Poverty was reduced by market access, having agriculture as a primary occupation, income from agricultural production, the total monetary value of all the household assets, determination to remain in agriculture, and the square of the respondents’ age. These results imply that creating employment for youth by engaging them in agriculture as a full-time occupation can increase their income and reduce poverty. However, the promotion of other secondary occupations, land, and market access is also vital.

Keywords: agribusiness; per capita income; poverty reduction; sustainable development; youth unemployment (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (5)

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