EFFECTS OF GROUP PARTICIPATION ON AGRICULTURAL ACTIVITIES OF YOUTHS IN AGRICULTURAL ZONE ONE OF RIVERS STATE

This study examined the effects of group participation on agricultural activities among youths in Agricultural Zone One of Rivers State, Nigeria. Specifically, it described the socio-economic characteristics of youths, identified agricultural activities youth groups participate in, assessed their level of participation, examined the effects of group participation, determined constraints to participation and analyzed the relationship between socio-economic characteristics and group participation. A multistage sampling technique was used to select 100 respondents from 10 youth associations across two Local Government Areas. Data were collected through structured questionnaires and analyzed using descriptive statistics and binary logit regression. The findings revealed that the majority of the respondents (42.0%) were aged 20-29 years, 66.0% were single, 76.0% had attained formal education and 53.0% were engaged in farming as their primary occupation. The most common agricultural activities among youth groups were fish rearing (73%), processing and packaging of agricultural produce (70%) and sales of agricultural produce (67%). Youths demonstrated moderate participation in these activities, with the highest involvement in sales of agro inputs (mean = 2.73) and agro-supportive services (mean = 2.56). Group participation significantly enhanced communication (mean = 3.25), improved problem-solving capacity (mean = 3.05) and fostered skill acquisition (mean = 3.05). However, key constraints to participation included high uncertainty in agriculture (mean = 3.24), poor leadership (mean = 3.21) and inadequate extension services (mean = 3.16). Binary logit regression analysis showed that socio-economic characteristics such as age, gender, education, marital status and livelihood source significantly influenced participation. The study concluded that youth participation in agricultural groups positively impacted their agricultural engagement, skill development and problem-solving capacity, despite challenges related to leadership and financial constraints. Based on the findings, it was recommended that relevant stakeholders strengthen youth agricultural groups through capacity-building and training programs to enhance their skills, productivity and long-term participation in agriculture. Keywords: Youth Participation, Agricultural Activities, Group Participation, Skill Acquisition, Socio-Economic Characteristics, Constraints, Rivers State, Nigeria