EFFECT OF ACCELERATED AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT SCHEME ON EMPLOYMENT GENERATION AMONG YOUTHS IN YENAGOA LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF BAYELSA STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

The study analyzed the effect of the Accelerated Agricultural Development Scheme (AADS) on employment generation in Yenagoa Local Government Areaof Bayelsa State, Nigeria. Purposive, systematic random and snowball sampling techniques were used to select 80 youths from eight communities in the study area. Data were collected using structured questionnaire and were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics such as (ANOVA) and multiple regression analysis. Two null hypotheses were tested at 5% level of significance. The findings showed that the participants had a mean age of 28 years, 60.0% of the participants were males while 40.0% were females. The result showed that provision of short and medium form funding (= 3.34), provision of fund (= 3.23)and promotion of food security among stakeholders in the agricultural value chain (= 2.95) were the various programmes initiated by the Accelerated Agricultural Development Scheme in order to reduce unemployment in the study area. There was also high (= 2.75) level of youth participation in most programmes of the Accelerated Agricultural Development Scheme. The Accelerated Agricultural Development Scheme had positive effect (= 2.93) on employment generation among participants in the study area. The study further showed that youths had positive perception (= 2.71) of the Accelerated Agricultural Development Scheme in the study area. The result shows that lack of agricultural insurance (= 2.51) was the only constraint faced by the youths in accessing the Accelerated Agricultural Development Scheme The ANOVA result showed that there was significant difference in the level of participation of youths in the Accelerated Agricultural Development scheme in the study area at 5% level of significance. The multiple regression analysis revealed that provision of short and medium term funding (2.857***) and provision of hectares of land to beneficiaries (4.725***) influenced employment generation among participants in the study area at 1% level of significance. The study concluded that the Accelerated Agricultural Development Scheme had positive effect on employment generation among participants in the study area. Hence, it recommends that The Accelerated Agricultural Development Scheme should be sustained and expanded for continued promotion of employable skills and opportunities.