Rural youth participation in Agriculture: Exploring the significance and challenges in the control of agricultural sector in Zambian

Agriculture plays a major role in the economic growth and development of most countries. Consequently, the need for effective and progressive agricultural development is fundamental. To achieve this, the active group of individuals, constituting the youth needs to be involved extensively. Even though literature indicates that youth face constraints that hinder their active involvement in agricultural activities, studies that assess youth participation in agriculture and the challenges they face in most developing countries especially Zambia are rare. Therefore, this study assessed rural youth participation in agriculture and the challenges they face in view of identifying ways of enhancing rural youth involvement in agriculture. Data for the study were collected from eighty (80) rural youths in Kafue, Itimpi and Luangwa agriculture blocks of Kitwe district using a self-administered questionnaire and analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences. Results showed that rural youth engagement in agriculture serves as an important source of income, as well as provision of the much needed labor force in critical farming activities among others. Results also revealed that rural youth face challenges in agriculture such as lack of access to capital, poor storage facilities, poor access to agriculture insurance and lack of technical assistance. Implications were drawn based on the study findings and recommendations for future research were made.