The Impacts of Integrated Youth Training Farm as a Capacity Building Center for Youth Agricultural Empowerment in Kwara State, Nigeria

Capacity building in agriculture has become imperative in Nigeria due to the high rate of youth unemployment, over-dependence on white collar job and the need to prepare a replacement for the aging local subsistence farmers. To achieve this trend, some states in Nigeria established youth training farms to empower the youth in agriculture sector. Integrated Youth Training Farm Program was established by the Kwara State government as a youth empowerment strategy to reduce unemployment and associated social problems. About 418 youths were trained through the capacity building program between 2006 and 2013 as new generation of modern commercial farmers. In this regard, this study assesses the impact of the Integrated Youth Farm Training Program on youth in Kwara State. Using qualitative case study technique, 30 informants who included the youth participants, implementers and government officials were interviewed. Also, documents, Focus Group Discussion and observation were used as the researchers remain the main instrument. The findings revealed that, the capacity building program has made tremendous impact directly and indirectly on the lives of the youth in Kwara State. Eventually, the success of the program has led to multiplier effects that will subsequently go a long way in empowering the teeming youth population socially, economically and psychologically if the challenges of sustainability are adequately addressed. DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2015.v6n5p52