INNOVATIVE AGRICULTURAL PRACTICES FOR YOUTH EMPOWERMENT IN ANIMAL PRODUCTION

Abstract

Youth participation in animal production is crucial for food security, rural development, and economic growth. 
However, rural youth face challenges such as limited access to land, capital, modern livestock-rearing techniques 
and market opportunities, which discourage their involvement in the sector. This paper explores innovative 
agricultural practices that can empower young people in rural areas by making animal production more attractive, 
profitable, and sustainable. These innovations include precision livestock farming, hydroponic fodder production, 
climate-smart livestock systems, digital platforms for animal health management and e-commerce solutions for 
livestock marketing. Through case studies and empirical data, this paper highlights the impact of these innovations on 
increasing productivity, reducing losses, enhancing sustainability and challenges hindering youth involvement in 
animal husbandry and proposes policy recommendations to foster a more inclusive and innovative livestock sector. 
The aims and objectives of this work includes accessing level of awareness and adopting innovation, benefits and 
challenges of innovation, roles of government, future prospect of livestock farming among youth and provide 
recommendations that will improve participation of youth in livestock farming. Questionnaire was drafted and sent 
out through google, data was harvested and analysed, and It was discovered that 91% are aware of that there are new 
innovation while 8.5% are not aware, 110 people said these innovations has increased their production, 57 people 
said it reduces diseases outbreak. Some has refused to adopt new techniques because of the cost, some said they are 
limited by finances. 78% of respondence has received support from the government while 21.9% has not received 
any. Policies that will increase accessibility to land, more funding, training and stronger market connections are 
suggested to improve more participation of youth in livestock farming.