Realizing Equal Opportunities among Youth Groups in Agribusiness Sector in Accessing Government Financial Credit Facilities

Abstract

The aim of the study was to determine opportunities available to organized youth groups in accessing government funding to ensure equity in facing life challenges. Many youths after leaving school find themselves jobless due to shrinking economic activities. While this phenomenon is not unique in third world countries alone, it is a global concern in the 21 st century. The study objectives were to: determine mechanisms functional youth groups had instituted to access government funding; assess the level of agribusiness management skills possessed by youth groups in running their agribusinesses and find out the major hindrances youth groups experienced in accessing credit facilities from the government. This study was carried out in Tigania East and West Sub-counties. It adopted stratified sampling technique to target 6 registered youth groups with a sample of 120 participants. The study adopted descriptive research design and employed questionnaires and interview schedules. The main findings included: youth groups were required to write agribusiness proposals to access credit, which they paid some teachers and personnel in cyber café to write at a fee; no collaterals were required except group's certificate of registration with social services; most of youth group members shared the money among them and did not have a functional group project; majority of the youths preferred working alone as opposed to group project which they blamed of tight rules. Practically, the study enlightened the need for youth groups to be trained on essence of synergy work while embracing modern technology to group challenges. The parent ministry in charge of youth would find the study useful in the formulation of future plans aimed at strengthening training in imparting relevant agribusiness skills to youths. Finally, the study formed a basis on which other scholars could develop their studies in future.