Abstract

The study assessed youth participation in fish production value chain in Ede North Local Government, Osun State, Nigeria. The study specifically described the socioeconomic characteristics of youths involved in fish production value chain in the study area, examined their perception, determined their level of participation and identified the constraints affecting their participation in fish production value chain. Multistage sampling procedure was used to select one hundred respondents from the study area. Results showed that majority, (56.0%) of the respondents were below 40 years of age and 73.0% were males. Majority, (69.0%) had travelled out of outside the State. Fish production value chain activities is a way to reduce poverty (79.0%) ranked highest among the indicators of perception of youth about fish production value chain activities followed by fish production value chain activities are capital intensive (72.0%). In addition, wholesaling (x? =2.72) ranked the highest among the fish value chain activities the youths participated in followed by feeding of fish (x? = 2.68). Also, some of the youths (22.0%) indicated that lack of credit facilities as a constraint affecting their participation in fish production value chain activities followed by instability of economy (17.0%). There was a positive and significant relationship (p? 0.001, r=0.265) between perception of youth and their participation in fish production value chain activities. The study concluded that the level of youth participation in fish production value chain was moderate and recommended that micro credit facilities with low interest rate and low collateral demands suitable for youth participation in fish production value chain be made available.

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