Analysis of Factors Influencing Agricultural Commercialisation Among Youth Group in Agricultural Output Market: Empirical Evidence from Mwanza City and Ukerewe Districts, Tanzania

Although agriculture has great potential for Sub-Saharan Africa particularly in the creation of decent jobs for youth, the youth are less attracted and reluctant to pursue agriculture as both a career and activity for livelihood due to several aspects. For this reason, the study examined the Agricultural Commercialisation among youth groups in the agricultural Output Market in the Mwanza region, Tanzania. The cross-sectional study used a quantitative and qualitative approach and included ninety-three (93) youth groups from two selected Districts (Mwanza City and Ukerewe District) Data were analyzed with the Commercialisation Index and Tobit Regression Model with the aid of statistical tools for analysis which were R-Software (Ri3863.6.1) and SPSS version 20. The results showed that the commercialisation index for this study is about 79.4 %, then empowered youth groups were highly participating in the agricultural output market for both Mwanza City and Ukerewe District. This justifies the assumption of the Commercialisation Index (CI) when CI is greater than 50% of farmers are considered they be commercial oriented which in other words they participate in agricultural output markets. Moreover, the degree of participation in agricultural output among empowered youth groups was also influenced by market experience, market arrangement and market infrastructure. The participation of empowered youth groups from both agricultural output markets seemed also to be determined by the education level of group leaders. Youth groups in which their leaders had attained diploma education level had less participation in the agricultural output market as compared to groups with leaders who attained primary school education level