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The participation of young people in agriculture is crucial in generating job opportunities and fostering the growth of agri-food systems in developing countries, particularly in Africa. This study aims to provide an in-depth review of existing studies on young people's perceptions and factors influencing their participation in agribusiness. Additionally, the study aims to investigate the impact of the skill training intervention on youth engagement in agribusiness. The study also identifies and analyzes the constraints that hindered their engagement. The PRISMA guideline was followed to analyze 57 studies across Sub-Saharan Africa. Studies published from 2012 to 2022 were retrieved from various digital libraries, such as Google Scholar, Emerald Insight, Taylor & Francis Online, Wiley Online Library, and Science Direct. The review findings highlight that many young people in Africa view agriculture as a profitable industry and a means of subsistence. However, it was also observed that there are divergent opinions regarding agribusiness among young individuals. Factors such as access to finance, education, skills training, perceived social support, and prior experience in farming emerged as critical determinants influencing their decision to engage in agribusiness. Moreover, the study reveals that skill training programs positively impact youth participation in agribusiness. These interventions enhance their skills, increasing productivity, income, and employment opportunities. Nevertheless, access to finance and other essential resources, such as land and extension support, were identified as significant barriers to the involvement of young people in agribusiness. In order to promote the advancement of agri-food systems in Africa through youth participation, youth policies must prioritize access to various resources, including but not limited to capital, education, skills training, land, extension support, social support, mentoring, and private-sector involvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study assessed the equity in irrigation water uses and its impacts on paddy yield and water productivity among rice farmers in the Kano River Irrigation Project. Two hundred and twenty-five (225) respondents were used for the data collection from January to June 2021. The data were analyzed using the Kruskal Walli's test, Tukey kramer post-Hoc test, physical water productivity, and the Logit model. The results indicated that the downstream farmers had the lowest mean yield (1625 kg/acre), lowest access to irrigation water, and lowest irrigation water use (2430 m3/acre). However, they had the highest water productivity (0.66 kg/m3) against 0.44 kg/m3 and 0.58 kg/m3 for middle and upstream farmers, respectively. The logit regression results disclosed that the farm locations, quantity of irrigation water, access to irrigation water, and training on water use were statistically significant determinant of paddy output. Efforts to teach farmers about the actual crop water requirements are needed to promote irrigation water efficiency and conserve scarce resources for other competing users. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the face of declining water resources and low agricultural water productivity, it is vital to increase agricultural production efficiency and efficiency of water usage. The efficacy of irrigating rice fields in Nigeria is evaluated here using a stochastic frontier analysis. This is a parametric frontier that is assumed to have half-normal distribution, allowing the model to be separated from normal errors in a composite error model. Samples of 382 surveys were used in the study; out of the total number, 361 surveys were retrieved and used for the analysis. The analytical tools used in the study are: gross margin, water productivity analysis, and stochastic frontier approach. The results indicate an average yield of 4.69 and 4.94 tons/hectare, and net farm income of $415 and $364 for the farmers using canal irrigation and farmers using tube wells, respectively. The results also showed physical and economic water productivity of 0.51 kg/m3 and $0.11/m3 for canal water users, and 0.568 kg/m3 and $0.10/m3 for tube well users. The canal water users had a mean irrigation water use efficiency of 0.76, compared to 0.70 for the tube well users. The study recommends that effective extension services and their coverage be enhanced to provide adequate training to rice farmers on water use efficiency and the transfer of innovations and farming technologies to farmers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]