Aspiration of Rural Youth towards Agriculture

The youth are the key to the future of agriculture. But, how the young people respond to small-scale farming and can the sector meet the aspirations of youth will be critical in terms of both future employment and food security. Thus, an understanding of the aspirations of rural youth towards agriculture and the factors contributing to their opinion formation is important for the development of the sector and youth employment in agriculture. The data presented in this book is drawn from in-school and out of school rural youth. In the study, qualitative methods (in-depth interview, focus group discussion and key informant interview) and survey were used. The study revealed that most of the rural boys and girls aspire to non-agricultural occupations. The absence of access to different kinds of services and infrastructures at a desired level to youth in rural areas compared to the urban make agriculture and rural life unattractive to youth. The general characteristics of agricultural and/or rural life have also contributed for youth to aspire non-agricultural career.