Rural youths participation in adoption of improved shea nuts collection and processing in Niger State, Nigeria

Abstract

The study was carried out in agricultural zone 1 of Niger State which consists of eight (8) local government
areas, namely Lapai, Agaie, Katcha, Bida, Gbako, Lavun, Edati, and Mokwa. The study assessed the rural
youth participation in adoption of shea nuts collection and shea nuts processing technologies. The specific
objectives were to; determine the level of adoption of improved Shea nuts processing technologies, the
productivity of adoption of improved shea nuts collection in the study area. Data for the study were collected
using questionnaires for 150 rural youth Shea nuts processors. The study revealed that majority (60.00%)
were youth and 100% of these processors were female. The result also showed that 100 percent of the
processors adopted most of the improved shea nuts processing technologies, with the exemption of
parboiling, sorting/grading, storage of shea nuts, deodorant of shea butter and storage of shea butter. The
result indicated that improved shea nuts processing technologies had significant relationship at 0.05%
probability level with adoption of improved shea nuts processing technologies. The major constraints
affecting the youth participation were high cost of technologies, inadequate credit facilities and poor
marketing of product. The study concluded that there was high percentage of rural youth participation on the
adoption of improved shea nuts processing technologies in Niger State.