LASU Journal of Employment Relations and Human Resource Management
(LJERHRM)
ISSN: 2705-3482
Volume 1, No. 1, December 2018
Pages 69-81
DOI: 10.36108/ljerhrm/8102.01.0190
QUALITATIVE ANALYSIS OF YOUTH PARTICIPATION IN AGRICULTURE PROGRAM TOWARDS ACHIEVING THE DIMENSIONS OF EMPOWERMENT
LATOPA, Abdullateef Ayinde, (PhD)1& GENTY, Kabiru Ishola (PhD)2.
Department of Local Government Studies, College of Administrative Studies & Social Sciences, Kaduna Polytechnic, Kaduna State Nigeria1.
Department of Industrial Relations and Personnel Management, Faculty of Management Science, Lagos State
University, Ojo Lagos Nigeria2
lateeflatopa@gmail.com1, ishola.genty@lasu.edu.ng2
Abstract
This study explored the youth participation process in the agriculture empowerment program towards achieving the dimensions of empowerment. A qualitative case study approach was adopted using the Youth Integrated Training Farm, Malete, Kwara State Nigeria as a case. Thirty informants were purposively sampled and for the study. Multiple methods of data collection were employed namely in-depth interviews, Focus Group Discussion, field observation, and documents analysis. The findings revealed that nine steps are involved in the youth participation process. These steps were identified and themed into three groups; Planning, organization, and implementation. The participation process also achieved youth empowerment in economic, social and psychological dimensions. The result of the findings further revealed that despite the empowerment dimensions that were achieved, the vision of the program was not met due to some salient factors relating to the inability of the state government to record success in the last step of the participation process, which is the empowerment incentives.
Keywords: youth participation, youth empowerment, youth agriculture, participation and empowerment