Assessment of Youth Engagement and Challenges in Agribusiness in Niger State, Nigeria

The increasing disengagement of youths from agricultural value chains constitutes a serious threat to food security, rural livelihoods, and the long-term sustainability of agribusiness in Nigeria. This study assessed the level of youth engagement and the challenges affecting participation in agribusiness in Niger State, Nigeria. Specifically, the study described the socio-economic characteristics of youths engaged in agribusiness, identified the various agribusiness activities in which youths are involved, determined the level of youth engagement, examined the factors influencing youth participation, and identified the major challenges hindering participation. A multi-stage sampling procedure was employed to select 70 respondents from the study area. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire and analysed using descriptive statistics and logistic regression model. Findings revealed that the majority of respondents were male (62.86%), within the age bracket of 26–30 years (40.00%), and possessed secondary school education (44.29%). Crop production, vegetable farming, and poultry were the most commonly reported agribusiness activities. The overall mean engagement score of 3.39 on a 5-point Likert scale indicated a moderate level of youth engagement in agribusiness. Logistic regression results showed that educational level, access to credit, and cooperative membership were the most significant predictors of youth participation. Inadequate access to finance, limited land access, and high cost of inputs emerged as the foremost challenges. The study recommended targeted credit schemes, youth-friendly land tenure reforms, subsidised input supply, and strengthened extension delivery to enhance sustainable youth participation in agribusiness in Niger State.