Abstract

Agricultural Transformation Agenda (ATA) can only be achieved through collective efforts of local stakeholders at developing rural infrastructure. Youths are important stakeholders in a typical rural community. The study therefore assessed the participation of youths in community development activities in Atisbo Local Government Area of Oyo State. A total of 103 youths were sampled through a multistage sampling procedure and data collected with the use of well-structured interview schedule were analyzed using frequency counts, percentages, means, Chi-square and PPMC. More than half (61.1%) were aged 21-30 years, while 59.2% and 93.2% were males and belonged to youth association, respectively. Major constraints to participation in community development activities were lack of fund (mean = 2.32), lack of youth participation in decision making (mean = 2.22), inability of youth to establish link with the donor agency (mean = 2.17), non-recognition of youth as partners in rural development (mean = 1.92) and youth rural-urban migration (mean = 1.81). Level of participation in community development projects was low for more than half (53.7%). Age (r = 0.332 and p? 0.05), household size (r=-0.315 and p? 0.05), sex (?2=5.017 p? 0.05), marital status (?2=18.794 p?0.000), youth association membership (?2=10.807 p?0.05), community development association (?2=18.785 and p?0.05) and constraints to participation were all significantly related to youths? level of participation in community development activities. Participation in community development activities was limited by constraints of different dimensions. Therefore, local stakeholders should work towards prioritizing the interest of the youths, while also trying to establish links with sponsoring agencies so as to make funds available for ease of prosecution of a number of community development efforts.

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