Department of Agricultural Economics and Rural Sociology, Faculty of Agriculture, Ahmadu Bello University, P.M.B. 1044, Zaria, Nigeria
Akpoko, J.G., Department of Agricultural Economics and Rural Sociology, Faculty of Agriculture, Ahmadu Bello University, P.M.B. 1044, Zaria, Nigeria; Kudi, T.M., Department of Agricultural Economics and Rural Sociology, Faculty of Agriculture, Ahmadu Bello University, P.M.B. 1044, Zaria, Nigeria
The concern about youths development borders on the believe that they constitute an important labour forbe which can easily become leaders in employing and innovating modem techniques of agricultural production. The National Agricultural Extension and Research Liaison Services (NAERLS) of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria in recognition of these potentials has established a rural youths extension out-reach Program to encourage the youths to adopt modem techniques of agricultural production. The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of this program on agricultural production. This study was carried out during the 2005/2006 cropping season by comparing the performance of the program participants with non-participants. The results revealed that the participants had an adoption level of improved practices higher than the non-participants. This was further confirmed by the significant relationship found between respondents access to extension services and level of adoption (R = 0.46, p = 0.01). Yield of major crops and income of farmers were slightly higher among the participants than the non-participants. The results of the study have helped to identify for the benefit of policy makers, the type of extension approaches required to encourage rural youths to adopt modern fanning techniques. © 2007 Asian Network for Scientific Information.