RESEARCH TITLE: Youth transition to adulthood and participation in agriculture

START DATE: March 2021 ESTIMATED DURATION: 12 months

SPONSORS: Pan African Bean Research Alliance (PABRA) BUDGET: USD38500

INFLOWS FOR THE QUARTER: USD38500

LOCATION: Ejura Sekyeredumase municipality, Atebubu Amantin district.

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Prof. James Asibuo

PARTICIPATING SCIENTISTS: Patricia Pinamang Acheampong, Monica Opoku
COLLABORATING INSTITUTIONS. Ministry of Food and Agriculture, Farmers,
community youth
OBJECTIVES:
1. To explore the processes through which rural youth enter into and become farmers
2. To assess the challenges and opportunities of this transition

Methodology
This study is based on a qualitative study of rural youth in eight farming communities within two
principal towns, namely Ejura and Atebubu in the Ashanti and Bono East regions of Ghana
respectively. The study was conducted in September 2021 with the objective of investigating the
characteristics of agricultural life, and key elements that make agriculture attractive or
unattractive to the rural youth. The study explored the general perceptions of young men and
women about agricultural life and the major factors that influence these. The research was
conducted in two purposively selected rural areas to represent two different agro-ecologies and
farming systems. At Ejura, the research was conducted in four small villages, namely Nokre Asa,
Samari Nkwanta, Grumakura and Ashaakoko. The second principal town was Atebubu with five
rural study sites, namely Abamba camp, Abour, Adom, Kokofu and Ahontor.

Primary data was generated from a number of qualitative techniques comprising in-depth focus
group discussions and key informant interviews. Interviews were held with individuals and
groups who are in the categories of young people who are in primary and high school, those who
have completed schooling or dropped out of school, young and older farmers. Individuals were
selected from the groups to explore their views on issues of interest in more details. Key
informant interviews were held with development partners such as the agricultural development
bank (ADB), business service centre, world vision, and agricultural extension officers. The
discussions took 15 to 20 minutes. A total of 200 adult men, adult men, youth both boys and girls
and other key informants were interviewed. Permission was sought from respondents before
commencing the interviews, and even to record.

RESULTS ACHIEVED SO FAR:

From becoming a farmer whose choice as reported in the third quarter, the study delved into
youth returning to Farming after Leaving School and gender and farming. The results showed
that young people had the desire to finish school and acquire “better jobs”. However, this does
not turn out to be so in most cases. Only a handful of the young in the rural communities
succeed in gaining tertiary education, whilst majority attain primary, high school education and
no education at all. The most vulnerable among the groups is women most of who have no
educational background with few having primary and high school education. Higher education
attainment was not achieved by about 100% of women interviewed, because they dropped out
of school as a result of teenage pregnancy and financial constraint. 20% of these attained
primary education, 43% attained secondary education whilst 37% had no education at all.

The young people who have no education begin farming at tender ages when they assist their
parents with some of the farming operations. Those in school also help their parents on the
farm. When they become young adults or complete school they are given portions of land to
farm since that becomes the only available source of livelihood for them. They receive some
support from their parents, husbands and farmer groups they join in the form of small loans
from group contributions, communal labour and technical advice. The disadvantage is that
they do what they see their parents do which is often basic.

Those attaining higher education and or have supplementary jobs however, owned assets such
as land, motor bikes. They perceive farming as lucrative, and so want to tap into that
opportunity by adopting the business approach to farming. This includes acquiring assets and
adopting improved practices. It is worth noting that despite efforts made, these youth farmers
are constrained by limited lands, high cost of inputs e.g. fertilizers, poor rainfall patterns, low
bargaining power, limited access to credit among others.

NUMBER OF CONFERENCES PAPERS PRODUCED: Nil

NUMBER OF TECHNOLOGIES PROTECTED THROUGH INTELLECTUAL
PROPERTY RIGHTS: Nil

WAY FORWARD: Final report will be completed and submitted by the end of January
2022.