ANALYSIS OF THE FACTORS INFLUENCING AGRICULTURAL STUDENTS’ WILLINGNESS TO PARTAKE IN AGRIPRENEURSHIP IN NORTH-WESTERN NIGERIA

Abstract

The study examined agricultural students’ willingness to become agripreneurs after graduation in North Western Nigeria.  Multi-stage sampling technique was used in selecting 361 respondents for the study. Data were collected through the use of questionnaires and analysed using both descriptive and inferential statistics. The results revealed that most (95.6%) of the respondents indicated their willingness to engage in agripreneurship after graduation. The results also revealed that 23.7%, 16.7% and 12.7% indicated that agriculture provide self-employment, provide employment opportunities and already engage in it as their reasons for engaging in agripreneur after graduation. Sex, departments of agricultural technology and pasture and range management, type of residence (peri-urban and urban) market access and expected income (p= 0.023, p=0.012 and p= 0.023, p= 0.013 and p= 0.033, p = 0.024 and p= 0.019 respectively) were found significant in influencing the willingness of the respondents to partake in agripreneurship after graduation. Attitude, perception and aspiration were significant  (P<0.05) in influencing respondents willingness to engage in agripreneurship  after graduation. It was concluded that majority of agricultural students were willing to take part in agripreneurship after graduation and the spirit of willingness showed by the respondents is an indication that many of them will embrace one agricultural enterprise or the other after graduation. Hence, recommended that government should establish more agricultural industries so as to employ the willing youth and provide opportunities for land ownership for youth to enable them participate more in agripreneurship.