Influence of Extension Connectivity on Youth Engagement into Paddy Farming in Kano State, Nigeria

Abstract

The international development agencies have made a clarion call to the developing countries, upon strengthening their agricultural sectors with a modern technological connectivity, so that massive unemployed youth can be employed in the sector. The insufficient of youth data and studies becomes a major challenge in these countries. However, emphasis of Nigeria’s government was more on the provision of farm inputs subsidies to farmers. While the policy on youth’s inclusion into paddy farming was not given much consideration, despite the growing number of unemployed youths. Also, the availability of paddy fertile land and increase in extension connectivity subscription in the country could have improve both the paddy production and youth employment. Yet over 33% of the youths are unemployed. Thus, designing an effective youth policy could not be realized without analysing factors that can inspire them to participate into farming. This study examines the effect of extension connectivity technology in influencing youth participation in paddy farming in Kano, Nigeria. The study selected 180 youth respondents from mixed sampling techniques and the questionnaire was administered in three paddies local government areas in Kano state around August 2019. The binary logit was used in the estimation of different models. The findings proved that extension connectivity used in farming can inspire youths to participate and remain in paddy farming. The study highlights the need for greater attention in utilising the extension connectivity in enlightening and educating youths to access information to aids paddy farming activities.