Youths Participation in Farming Activities in Rural Areas of Imo State, Nigeria: implications for Extension

This study investigated youths participation in fanning activities in rural areas of lino stage, Nigeria Questionnaire was administered to 70 randomly selected respondents from six rural communities in the study area. Data were analysed using percentages, ranks and Pearson correlation. The results indicated that the youths participated in a wide range offarming activities, such as bush clearing, cultivation, planting, weeding, harvesting, among others. Also, significant relationship exists between the level ofparticipation and education (r = -0.274, P< 0.05),farming experience (r = 0.254, P< 0.05), andfarm size (r = 0.267, P< 0.05). Theparticipants perceived low capital outlay (71%) risk and uncertainty (67%), drudgery (66%), problem of land acquisition (61%), among others, as the nmjor problems that confront youths participation infarming activities in the study area. It iva.v reconunended, among others, that the youths should be given the right incentives by government to intensify their participation in farming activities. These include provision of soft loans, tractor hiring services, facilitating landacquisition, among others. The Extension Agency shouldalso help to organize the youths into co¬ operative groups to facilitate the above help. Also social amenities should be provided in the rural areas to encourage the youths to stay back and practice full-time and intensified agriculture in the present democratic dispensatio