Nexus between Participation in Agriculture and Youth Welfare in Bomet County, Kenya
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Date
2023-09
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Journal of Economics
Abstract
Kenya’s youth unemployment rate stands at 39 percent, forming the largest group of the
unemployed in the country. The cohort possesses innovative behavior, minimal risk aversion, less
fear of failure, less conservativeness, greater physical strength and greater knowledge acquisition
propensity. The agriculture sector offers a huge opportunity for the creation of employment for the
youth in the country. Despite the vital role the agricultural sector plays in the economy of Kenya,
youth are yet to fully exploit its potential. Like in other countries, literature posits that youth
participation in agriculture is low and major determinants of participation in agriculture are;
education level, access to land, access to finance, household size and access to market. Youth
perceive agriculture as a career of last resort that has low monetary benefits. The study sought to
establish participation in agriculture and its effects on the welfare of the youth in Bomet County.
A sample of 399 youths were picked as a representative sample. The study employed frequencies
and percentages in analyzing the descriptive statistics of the study. Logistic regression was adopted
in estimating the model. The study undertook various diagnostic tests before estimating the models
to ensure that the model is fit in determining the relationship of study variables. The predicted
probabilities for youth to participate in agricultural activities was 32.0 percent. The results from
the study also showed that participating in agriculture improved welfare majorly through increased
income and food. Model results established that marital status, university education, land size,
financial access, access to ICT infrastructure, market distance, household size and agricultural
training significantly influenced welfare of youth practicing agriculture. The study recommends
that the government creates financial credit specifically tailored for majority of the youth who do
not have the required collateral. There is also a need for the government to build more agricultural
training institutes so that youth can learn diverse agricultural productions.
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Citation
Kiprono K. & Njaramba J. (2023). Nexus between Participation in Agriculture and Youth Welfare in Bomet County, Kenya. Journal of Economics. Vol 7(1) pp. 33-50.