Economics, Business and Management: Recent Advances Vol. 2

Kenyan youth participation in agriculture has been declining over the years, with a notable labour force of about 28.47% in 2020. Despite agriculture being central to addressing their unemployment, youth are increasingly turning away from the sector, seeking what they believe to be more gainful jobs and business-oriented careers. This may be partly attributed to poor perception of agriculture, among other factors. Agriculture, which is basically a rural-oriented sector, remains the backbone of Kenya’s economy, contributing over 35% of GDP, while providing over 80% of employment opportunities in the country, but it remains unattractive to the youth. While youth unemployment is rising, youth engagement in agriculture is declining, implying that most of them are not fully engaged in productive economic activities, which puts their dependency index quite high. Declining youth engagement in agriculture has implications for household and national food and nutritional security, unemployment and underemployment, which may undermine the Government’s efforts of ensuring 10% national economic growth through agriculture as envisioned in the country’s Vision 2030. If youth's positive perception of agriculture is positive, they can engage in various activities along the agricultural value chain development, thus enhancing their self-reliance. The chapter analyses and discusses the influence of Kenyan youth’s perception towards agriculture and the necessary interventions. The study considers the challenges and opportunities for enhanced youth participation in agriculture. Insights were gleaned through an exhaustive review of literature, with recommendations poised to enrich the existing knowledge domain and to guide policymakers on strategies for promoting youth’s participation in agricultural development for enhanced livelihood.