Determinants of Youth Migration from Agricultural Activities in Benue State, Nigeria

The study investigated the determinants of the migration of youth in Benue State from agricultural activities using a multi-stage survey research design. The population of the study comprised 90 households across the three zones in Benue State, selected by simple random sampling. A sampling proportion of 5% was applied and a sample size of 270 was drawn. The instrument for data collection was a self-developed questionnaire. Data collected were analysed using frequency distribution, mean, standard deviation and probit regression to achieve the research objectives, while chi-square goodness-of-fit was used to test the hypothesis. The findings revealed that 69.0% of youth involved in agricultural activities in the study area were within the ages of 26–3 3 years, while few (7.7%) were aged 31 years and above. The study further revealed that land tenure practices exert high influence on agricultural land developmental activities of youth in the area. A plethora of factors were found responsible for seasonal migrati on, including lack of access to modern farming equipment and technology, and limited economic opportunities in the agricultural sector. The study concludes that youth migration adversely affects agricultural activities in the study area. The study therefor e recommends, among other measures: skills diversification programmes that equip youth with diverse skills beyond seasonal agricultural work; year-round employment opportunities providing consistent engagement for youth; education and training initiatives focusing on agricultural techniques and sustainable practices; access to financial resources; and enhanced collaboration and networking between local governments, NGOs, and the private sector.