TRAINING AND CAPACITY BUILDING FOR JOB CREATION AMONG FARMERS AND AGRIPRENEURS IN SOUTH-SOUTH NIGERIA

Abstract

Unemployment remains a major socioeconomic challenge in South-South Nigeria despite the region's vast agricultural potential. This study examined the influence of training and capacity building on job creation among farmers and agripreneurs in the region. Anchored on the Agricultural Innovation System (AIS) Theory, the study adopted a cross-sectional explanatory survey design involving 542 respondents drawn from farmers, agripreneurs, agro-processors, cooperative members, and extension officers across the six South-South states of Nigeria. Data were collected through structured questionnaires and Key Informant Interviews (KIIs) and analysed using descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, and Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) regression. The findings revealed that training and capacity building significantly enhance employment generation among farmers and agripreneurs. Correlation results showed a strong positive relationship between training and job creation (r = 0.684, p < 0.05), while regression analysis indicated that training and capacity building significantly predict employment generation (β = 0.297, t = 5.67, p < 0.001). Respondents reported that participation in training programmes improved productivity, entrepreneurial competence, technology adoption, and business expansion, leading to increased full-time, part-time, and indirect employment opportunities, particularly for youth and women. Qualitative evidence further confirmed that capacity-building initiatives implemented by government agencies, NGOs, and Agricultural Development Programmes (ADPs) strengthened technical, managerial, and digital skills, thereby enhancing enterprise growth and labour absorption. The study concludes that training and capacity building are critical instruments for addressing unemployment and promoting sustainable agricultural entrepreneurship in South-South Nigeria. It recommends the expansion of continuous, inclusive, and demand-driven training programmes, strengthened extension services, and enhanced collaboration among government agencies, development partners, and private-sector actors to maximise the employment potential of the agricultural sector.