YOUTH WILLINGNESS TO UNDERTAKE APPRENTICESHIP IN SMALL AND MEDIUM AGRI-BASED ENTERPRISE IN SUB-URBAN LOCATTION IN ONDO STATE

I opting for agriculture as a youth unemployment solution option, the study was therefore conducted to investigate youth willingness to undertake apprenticeship in small and medium agric-based enterprise in sub-urban location in Ile-Oluji Local Government Area of Ondo State. The study used the data collected from 120 randomly selected youth in the study area. Data were collected with the aid of validated and pre-tested structured questionnaire. Data were collected of socioeconomic characteristics of the youth, willingness to undertake apprenticeship in agri-based enterprises, prospects of agri-based enterprises and constraints of apprenticeship in agri-based enterprises. The mean age of the youth was 25±5.3 and majority were married and were educated. Majority (56.7%) were native of the villages and they belonged to households with mean size of 6±2.78. Results further showed that vegetable farming (89.2%), poultry farming (86.7%), and Oil palm processing (89.2%) skills were highly available. Economic opportunity (74.2%) and access to information (59.2%) were the motivators of skills on agric-based SMEs. Inadequate capital (80.8%), lack of agricultural investment (72.5%) and poor returns on agricultural investment (58.3%) were the limiting factors against agri-based apprenticeship. Analysis further revealed that willingness for fish farming (65.8%) and poultry farming (60.8%) were full. Inferential statistics results revealed that a significant relationship exists between willingness and prospects of agri-based entrepreneurship. Therefore, youth in the study area should be educated on the prospects of agri-based enterprises as means of livelihood.