Unlocking the Potential of Agribusiness in Africa through Youth Participation: An Impact Evaluation of N-Power Agro Empowerment Program in Nigeria
Abstract
:1. Introduction
2. Empirical Review
2.1. N-Power Program
2.2. N-Power Agro Program
3. Materials and Methods
3.1. Study Area
3.2. Sampling Procedures and Types of Data/Analytical Techniques
3.2.1. Descriptive Analysis
3.2.2. Logistic Regression Models
- P = Willingness/choice to create employment through agribusiness (Yes = 1, No = 0)
- Z1 = Age (years)
- Z2 = Sex (1 if male, 0 if female)
- Z3 = Locality (1 if urban; 0 if rural)
- Z4 = Level of education (years)
- Z5 = Household size (numbers)
- Z6 = Agricultural skill (Yes = 1, No = 0)
- Z7 = Years of agribusiness experience (years)
- Z8 = Employment status (employed = 1, Not employed = 0)
- εi = Error term
3.2.3. Sharp Regression Discontinuity Designs (RDD)
Sharp Regression Discontinuity
- = the average value of the outcome for those in the treatment group after controlling for the rating variable;
- the outcome measure for observation (i);
- 1 if observation (i) is assigned to the treatment group and 0 otherwise;
- the coefficient, for treatment assignment, represents the marginal impact of the program
- εi = Error term
4. Results and Discussion
4.1. Socioeconomic Characteristics
4.2. Factors Influencing the Decision or Choice of Young Adults to Create Employment through Agribusiness
4.3. Regression Discontinuity Plots
4.4. Sharp Regression Discontinuity Design for Average Treatment Effects (ATE) on the Treated
4.5. Perceived Benefits for the Involvement of the Youth in N-Power Agro and the Effect of Entrepreneurial Training on the Generation of Youth Employment
4.6. Saving Potentials of the Youth in the N-Power Agro Program
5. Conclusions
6. Policy Recommendations
- The government and policymakers should upscale this program by strengthening, monitoring and encouraging measures that would promote more female participation (especially in the input and processing sector) in the N-Power Agro program to provide more employment, job creation, and at the same time increase income generation, hence improving the standard of living of female youth;
- Rather than scrap or lay-off current participants, the FGN should engage them to grow and supply the necessary agricultural products needed for the Home-grown School Feeding Program initiated by the government. This will surely boost the confidence of the youth to do more and boost food production in the country towards ensuring attainment of the sustainable development goals on food security rather than incentivizing them monthly;
- Intervention programs that particularly focus on younger people between 20 and 35 years who have much passion for agribusiness should be established;
- Incentivizing youth through empowerment programs should be discouraged, but rather to empower the youths into active participation by taking ownership of their business venture. The government should rather empower the youth into venturing into agribusiness by supporting them with capital, land, training, and also ensuring proper monitoring;
- Nigeria’s agricultural value chain is slowly evolving with limited diversification in an environment that yet undermines the progress, therefore, there is a need for policy interventions that will address the constraints inherent in the space;
- The policymakers must know that the central part of policies should target youth as partners and leaders in development. It should be a collaborative intervention that will ensure youths are fully consulted and integrated into the decision-making process.
Limitation of the Study
Supplementary Materials
Author Contributions
Funding
Acknowledgments
Conflicts of Interest
References
- Usman, S.A.; Ayegba, U.S. Unemployment and Poverty as Sources and Consequence of Insecurity in Nigeria: The Boko Haram Insurgency Revisited. Afr. J. Political Sci. Int. Relat. 2015, 9, 90–99. Available online: http://www.academicjournals.org/AJPSIR (accessed on 21 December 2019). [CrossRef] [Green Version]
- Brooks, K.; Zorya, S.; Gautam, A.; Goyal, A. Agriculture as a Sector of Opportunity for Young People in Africa; The World Bank: Washington, DC, USA, 2013. [Google Scholar]
- African Economic Outlook. African Development Bank Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)/United Nations Development Program (UNDP) Entrepreneurship and Industrialization; OECD Publishing: Paris, France, 2017; 317p. [Google Scholar]
- Awogbenle, A.C.; Chijioke Iwuamadi, K. Youth Unemployment: Entrepreneurship Development Programme as an Intervention Mechanism. Afr. J. Bus. Manag. 2010, 4, 831–835. [Google Scholar]
- African Union. Strategy to Revitalize Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) in Africa. In Proceedings of the Meeting of the Bureau of the Conference of Ministers of Education of the African Union (COMEDAF II+), Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 29–31 May 2007. [Google Scholar]
- Allen, A.; Howard, J.; Jamison, A.; Jayne, T.; Kondo, M.; Snyder, J.; Yeboah, F. Agri-Food Youth Employment and Engagement Study (AGYEES); Michigan State University: East Lansing, MI, USA, 2016. [Google Scholar]
- Betcherman, G.; Khan, T. Youth Employment in Sub-Saharan Africa Taking Stock of the Evidence and Knowledge Gaps; International Development Research Centre, MasterCard Foundation: Toronto, ON, Canada, 2015; Available online: https://www.africaportal.org/publications/youth-employment-in-sub-saharan-africa-taking-stock-of-the-evidence-and-knowledge-gaps/ (accessed on 24 December 2019).
- Sambo, N.; Anpe, M. Youth Unemployment, Deprivation and Educational Planning Intervention in Nigeria. Cont. J. Educ. Res. 2017, 10, 104–114. [Google Scholar]
- Adesugba, M.; Mavrotas, G. Youth Employment, Agricultural Transformation, and Rural Labor Dynamics in Nigeria; International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI): Washington, DC, USA, 2016. [Google Scholar]
- Open Data for Africa. Nigeria Data Portal. 2019. Available online: http://nigeria.opendataforafrica.org/ (accessed on 16 July 2020).
- Garba, A.S. Refocusing Education System towards Entrepreneurship Development in Nigeria: A Tool for Poverty Eradication. Eur. J. Soc. Sci. 2010, 15, 140–150. [Google Scholar]
- Yunusa, P.M.; Giroh, D.Y. Determinants of Youth Participation in Food Crops Production in Song Local Government Area of Adamawa State, Nigeria. Manag. Econ. Eng. Agric. Rural Dev. 2017, 17, 427–434. [Google Scholar]
- Abioye, O.D.; Ogunniyi, A. Coldspots and Hotspots of Agriculture in Nigeria; Any Hope for Youth and Women? Adv. J. Soc. Sci. 2018, 2, 1–11. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [Green Version]
- Lyocks, J.; Lyocks, S.; Kagbu, J. Mobilizing Youth for Participation in Nigerian Agricultural Transformation Agenda: A Grassroots’ Approach. J. Agric. Ext. 2014, 17, 78. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Muhammad-Lawal, A.; Omotesho, O.A.; Falola, A. Technical efficiency of youth participation in agriculture: A case study of the youth-in-agriculture programme in Ondo State, south western Nigeria. Niger. J. Agric. Food Environ. 2009, 5, 20–26. [Google Scholar]
- Ezeanokwasa, F.N.; Nwachukwu, O.P. Effective Entrepreneurship Skills in Reducing Unemployment through Small Business Innovation in Nigeria. J. Inf. Knowl. Manag. 2014, 4, 97–102. [Google Scholar]
- Ogunmodede, A.M. The Past, Present and Future Contributions of Small-Scale and Local Food Supply Systems to Nigeria’s Food Security: A Critical Appraisal; The Royal Agricultural University, 2019; pp. 1–14. Available online: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/342919718_The_past_present_and_future_contributions_of_smallscale_and_local_food_supply_systems_to_Nigeria’s_food_security_a_critical_appraisal (accessed on 16 July 2020).
- Ogunmodede, A.M.; Awotide, D.O. Profitability and technical efficiency of leafy vegetable production: A stochastic frontier production function analysis. Int. J. Veg. Sci. 2020, 27, 1–7. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Ibietan, J. Public Policy Making Process: Agricultural and Rural Development policies in Nigeria (1960 to date). Int. J. Stud. Humanit. 2011, 8, 95–108. [Google Scholar]
- Odey Ering, S.; Eteng Out, J.; Patrick Archibong, E. Rural Development Policies in Nigeria: A Critical Appraisal. Int. J. Educ. Res. 2014, 2, 307–320. [Google Scholar]
- Adedipe, N.; Okuneye, P.; Idowu, I. Pre-Service and In-Service Extension Education in the University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Nigeria; Food and Agriculture Organization: Abeokuta, Nigeria, 1995. [Google Scholar]
- Jibowo, A.A.; Ajayi, A.O. History of Agricultural Extension in Nigeria. Agricultural Extension Nigeria. 2005, pp. 1–15. Available online: https://www.agriculturenigeria.com/research/history-of-agriculture-in-nigeria/ (accessed on 16 July 2020).
- Yami, M.; Feleke, S.; Abdoulaye, T.; Alene, A.D.; Bamba, Z.; Manyong, V. African rural youth engagement in agribusiness: Achievements, limitations, and lessons. Sustainability 2019, 11, 185. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [Green Version]
- Godwin, N. The Impact of N-Power (Training and Empowerment) Program on the Duration of Youth Unemployment in Nigeria; MPRA Paper; University Library of Munich: Munich, Germany, 2019. [Google Scholar]
- Nyeche, S. N-Power Teachers Competence and Resource Utilization: Implication for Effective and Efficient Teaching in Nigerian Primary and Post Primary Schools. Int. J. Educ. Eval. 2018, 4, 12–21. [Google Scholar]
- N-SIP. N-Power-N-SIP. 2019. Available online: https://n-sip.gov.ng/npower/ (accessed on 16 July 2020).
- Ahungwa, G.T.; Haruna, U.; Abdusalam, R.Y. Trend Analysis of the Contribution of Agriculture to the Gross Domestic Product of Nigeria (1960–2012). 2014. Available online: http://iosrjournals.org/iosr-javs/papers/vol7-issue1/Version-4/J07145055.pdf (accessed on 23 March 2020).
- N-Power—Empowering Nigerian Youths for Prosperity. 2019. Available online: http://www.npower.gov.ng/n-agro.html (accessed on 23 March 2020).
- Dunson, D.B.; Johndrow, J.E. Response Models for Mixed Binary and Quantitative Variables. Biometrika 1992, 79, 441–461. [Google Scholar]
- Sultana, A.; Kiani, A.K. Determinants of food security at household level in Pakistan. Afr. J. Bus. Manag. 2011, 5, 12972–12979. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Thistlethwaite, D.L.; Campbell, D.T. Regression-discontinuity analysis: An alternative to the ex post facto experiment. J. Educ. Psychol. 1960, 51, 309–317. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [Green Version]
- Hahn, J.; Todd, P.; Klaauw, W. Identification and Estimation of Treatment Effects with a Regression-Discontinuity Design. Econometrica 2001, 69, 201–209. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Jacob, R.T.; Zhu, P.; Somers, M.-A.; Bloom, H.S. A Practical Guide to Regression Discontinuity; MDRC, 2012; Available online: http://www.mdrc.org/publications/644/full.pdf (accessed on 31 July 2012).
- Angrist, J.D.; Krueger, A.B. Instrumental Variables and the Search for Identification: From Supply and Demand to Natural Experiments. J. Econ. Perspect. 2001, 15, 69–85. Available online: http://pubs.aeaweb.org/doi/10.1257/jep.15.4.69 (accessed on 19 February 2019). [CrossRef] [Green Version]
- Imbens, G.W.; Wooldridge, J.M. Recent developments in the econometrics of program evaluation. J. Econ. Lit. 2009, 47, 5–86. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [Green Version]
- McEwan, P.J.; Shapiro, J.S. The benefits of delayed primary school enrollment: Discontinuity estimates using exact birth dates. J. Hum. Resour. 2008, 43, 1–29. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [Green Version]
- Jacob, B. Statistics LL-R of Economics and 2004 Undefined. Remedial Education and Student Achievement: A Regression-Discontinuity Analysis. Rev. Econ. Stat. 2004, 86, 226–244. Available online: https://www.mitpressjournals.org/doi/abs/10.1162/003465304323023778 (accessed on 12 February 2019). [CrossRef] [Green Version]
- DiNardo, J.; Lee, D.S. Economic Impacts of New Unionization on Private Sector Employers: 1984–2001. Q. J. Econ. 2004, 4, 1383–1441. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Rubin, D.B. Estimating causal effects of treatments in randomized and nonrandomized studies. J. Educ. Psychol. 1974, 66, 688–701. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [Green Version]
- Imbens, G.W.; Lemieux, T. Regression discontinuity designs: A guide to practice. J. Econ. 2008, 142, 615–635. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [Green Version]
- Porter, J. Estimation in the Regression Discontinuity Model. 2003. Available online: http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.133.540&rep=rep1&type=pdf (accessed on 7 May 2003).
- Joseph Enimola, D.; Johnson Orugun, J.; Tunde Nafiu, A. Entrepreneurial skills and youth employment in kogi state, nigeria: The case of N-POWER. J. Asian. Bus. Strateg. 2019, 9, 82–93. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Ayanwuyi, E.; Akinboye, O.A.; Olaniyi, O.A. Youth Participation in Rural Development Projects in Surulere Local Government Area of Oyo State, Nigeria. Soc. Sci. 2007, 2, 312–317. [Google Scholar]
- Ogunremi, O.O.; Ogunremi, J.B.; Faleyimu, O.I. Relevance and Benefits of Agricultural Youth Empowerment Programme to Participating Youth in Osun State, Nigeria. Asian J. Soc. Sci. Humanit. 2012, 1, 7–19. [Google Scholar]
- FAO Regional Office for Africa. Africa African Youth in Agriculture, Natural Resources and Rural Development. Nat. Faune 2013, 38, 1–106. Available online: http://www.fao.org/3/as290e/as290e.pdf (accessed on 21 December 2019).
- Hyeladi, A.; Alfred, J.; Gyang, L.D. Assessment of Family Sizes and Poverty Levels in Mangu LGA, Plateau State. Int. J. Humanit. Soc. Sci. 2014, 4, 310–315. [Google Scholar]
- Jibowo, A.A. Rural Youth: A Vital, but Untapped Human Resources. In Proceedings of the NAERLS, National Rural Youths Workshop. An Invited Paper, Zaria, Nigeria, 6–8 June 1989. [Google Scholar]
- Ayinde Latopa, A.-L.; Rashid, S.N.S.A.; Samah, A.A.; Abdullah, H. Examining the Extent of Youth Participation in Agricultural Training Program in Malete Youth Farm Kwara State. IOSR 2015, 20, 65–71. [Google Scholar]
- Sudarshanie, S.D.P. Factors Affecting on Youth Participation and Satisfaction in Occupation Related to Agriculture; University of MoratuwaSri Lanka: Moratuwa, Sri Lanka, 2014. [Google Scholar]
- Abadie, A. Semiparametric instrumental variable estimation of treatment response models. J. Econ. 2003, 113, 231–263. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
Variable | Participants% (n = 345) | Nonparticipants% (n = 300) |
---|---|---|
Sex | ||
Male | 76.79 | 75.00 |
Age | ||
20–25 years | 7.50 | 23.35 |
26–31 years | 53.57 | 38.74 |
32–37 years | 38.21 | 37.64 |
Above 37 years | 0.71 | 0.27 |
Marital status | ||
Single | 60.00 | 59.07 |
Educational Background | ||
NCE | 20.36 | 19.23 |
B.Sc. | 52.50 | 66.48 |
M.Sc. | 27.14 | 12.91 |
PhD | 1.37 | |
Household size | ||
1–3 persons | 18.57 | 20.60 |
4–6 persons | 53.57 | 54.95 |
≥ 7 persons | 27.86 | 24.45 |
Agribusiness Farming experience | ||
1–5 years | 72.14 | 76.37 |
6–10 years | 21.07 | 17.03 |
11–15 years | 2.14 | 3.85 |
≥16 years | 4.64 | 2.75 |
Own an Agribusiness | ||
Yes | 51.02 | 42.03 |
Agricultural skills | ||
No | 12.86 | 25.00 |
Willingness/Choice | Coef. | Std. Err. | z | P > z |
---|---|---|---|---|
Cons | −4.470734 | 3.38232 | −1.32 | 0.186 |
Age | 0.2991807 *** | 0.1046157 | 2.86 | 0.004 |
Sex (1=male, 0=female) | −0.8212896 | 0.6763278 | −1.21 | 0.225 |
Locality | −0.1069604 | 0.7514916 | −0.14 | 0.887 |
Household size | −0.0581269 | 0.5651311 | −0.10 | 0.918 |
Level of education | −0.5304102 *** | 0.2173812 | −2.44 | 0.007 |
Agricultural skill (yes=1, no=0) | −0.6603783 | 1.085353 | −0.61 | 0.543 |
Agribusiness years of experience | 1.806457 * | 1.079454 | 1.67 | 0.094 |
Employment status (yes=1, no=0) | −1.73311 * | 1.044354 | −1.66 | 0.097 |
LR chi2(8) | 21.27 | |||
Prob > chi2 | 0.0034 | |||
Pseudo R2 | 0.2061 |
Method | Coef. | Std. Err. | Z | P > |z| | [95% Conf. Interval] |
Conventional | 27,234 | 3885.1 | 7.0098 | 0.000 | 19,619 34,848.3 |
Bias-corrected | 26,630 | 3885.1 | 6.8544 | 0.000 | 19,015.3 34,244.6 |
Robust | 26,630 | 5625.9 | 4.7335 | 0.000 | 15,603.4 37,656.5 |
Income | Coef. | Std. Err. | t | P > |t| | [95% Conf. Interval] |
Treated | 30,191.46 | 2960.704 | 10.20 | 0.000 | 24,376.41 36,006.51 |
_cons | 35,373.13 | 1676.631 | 21.10 | 0.000 | 32,080.1 38,666.17 |
Perceived Benefits | Percentage (n = 345) |
---|---|
Extension services | 12.11 |
Monthly stipends | 48.10 |
Training and skills development | 13.84 |
Monthly stipends & training and skills development | 20.76 |
Monthly stipends & extension services | 5.19 |
Total | 100.00 |
© 2020 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
Share and Cite
Ogunmodede, A.M.; Ogunsanwo, M.O.; Manyong, V. Unlocking the Potential of Agribusiness in Africa through Youth Participation: An Impact Evaluation of N-Power Agro Empowerment Program in Nigeria. Sustainability 2020, 12, 5737. https://doi.org/10.3390/su12145737
Ogunmodede AM, Ogunsanwo MO, Manyong V. Unlocking the Potential of Agribusiness in Africa through Youth Participation: An Impact Evaluation of N-Power Agro Empowerment Program in Nigeria. Sustainability. 2020; 12(14):5737. https://doi.org/10.3390/su12145737
Chicago/Turabian StyleOgunmodede, Adewale M., Mary O. Ogunsanwo, and Victor Manyong. 2020. "Unlocking the Potential of Agribusiness in Africa through Youth Participation: An Impact Evaluation of N-Power Agro Empowerment Program in Nigeria" Sustainability 12, no. 14: 5737. https://doi.org/10.3390/su12145737