Effect of Occupational Diversification on Rural Youths’ Livelihood in Ekiti State, Nigeria

Abstract

The study examined the effects of occupational diversification on rural youths’ livelihood in Ekiti State, Nigeria. A multi-stage sampling procedure was used to select 120 respondents. A well-structured questionnaire was used to elicit information from the respondents and the data obtained were analyzed using descriptive statistics, a 3 points Likert scale and Pearson Product Moment Correlation. The degree of occupational diversification was high among the rural youths was high and some engaged in farm and non-farm occupations. Most (78.33%) of them were male with mean age of 34.5 years; married (86.67%) with average household size of 5 members; and had one form of education or the other (98.33%). The factors influencing their choice of occupational diversification were subjected into eighteen variables, classified into livelihood assets- physical, natural, financial, social and human and ranked according to the level of importance. Limited agricultural income, to earn regular income, to cope with the increasing vulnerability associated with agricultural production, seasonal nature of agricultural produce, accessibility to credit facilities for non-farm occupation, to encompass a range of other productive areas, proximity to urban area, empowerment of youths in non-farm occupation were the most common influential factors. Most (62.50%) of the rural youths have favourable perception towards occupational diversification, which has significant relationship with their physical (p<0.05), economic (p<0.05), social (p<0.05), natural (p<0.10) and health (p<0.05) assets.Therefore,there is need to sensitize rural youths to diversify their income sources in order to improve their livelihood and to meet their financial obligations