Sustainable Agro- Entrepreneurship as a Strategy for Reducing Youth Unemployment in South-East Nigeria (Published)
This study examined the sustainable Agro-entrepreneurship as a strategy for reducing youth unemployment in South East Nigeria. The objectives of the study were to: examine the effect of agro-entrepreneurship skill acquisition, agro-entrepreneurship loans on youth unemployment in South East, Nigeria. Survey research design was adopted in the study. Since the population is infinite, the sample size of the study was determined with the aid of Cochran’s non-parametric which gives 368. Copies of questionnaires were duly completed and returned showing 90% response rate. Research hypothesis were tested using ANOVA method. Primary sources of data were adopted and structured questionnaire were used to elicit information from the respondent. The major research instrument adopted for the study is the uses of structured questionnaire to elicit responses for the sample population. The research was done at 0.05% level of significant. This study found that sustainable agro-entrepreneurship plays a significant role in addressing youth unemployment in South-East Nigeria. Agroprenurship skill acquisition has no significant effect in youth unemployment reduction in South-East, Nigeria (Coff, 10.531,p, .000). Agroprenurship loans have no significant effect on youth unemployment reduction in South-East, Nigeria (Coff, 0.621,p, .535).On the basis of the findings the study recommends that Government and relevant agencies should strengthen agro-entrepreneurship skill acquisition programmes by providing regular training, technical support, and capacity-building initiatives that equip youths with modern and sustainable agricultural practices.Financial institutions and government intervention agencies should improve the accessibility and effectiveness of agro-entrepreneurship loan schemes by simplifying loan application procedures, reducing collateral requirements, and providing adequate monitoring to ensure that funds are utilized for productive agricultural enterprises
Keywords: Agroprenurship loan, Agroprenurship skill acquisition, agro- entrepreneurship, youth unemployment