Browsing by Author "Aikins, Dinah Mbrah"

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    Assessing the agricultural module of Ghana youth employment and entrepreneurial development agency (Gyeeda).
    (KNUST, 2016-08) Aikins, Dinah Mbrah
    Unemployment particularly among the youth is currently one of the critical problems facing the Ghanaian economy. The challenge has therefore become an issue of great concern not only to citizens and trade unions, but governments alike. The government of Ghana acknowledging the presence of an appreciable number of unemployed youth in Ghana instituted a pragmatic programme like the Ghana Youth Employment and Entrepreneurial Development Agency (GYEEDA). Some researchers have suggested that many of these notable programmes are implemented on ad hoc basis resulting in a series of challenges militating against its implementation in solving unemployment rate in Ghana. Despite the fact that Ghana Youth Employment and Entrepreneurial Development Agency (GYEEDA) is considered to create employment avenues for Ghanaian youth, little researches have been done on the Agricultural module of the programme. This research work is therefore carried out to fill this vacuum in Ghana. The general objective of the study is to assess how the Agricultural module under Ghana Youth Employment and Entrepreneurial Development Agency is helping to reduce unemployment among Ghanaian youth. The researcher employed the qualitative method for this research work. A field study was conducted to obtain the relevant data for the study. The target population for the collection of data for the research is the 5 Coordinators of Youth in Agricultural module under Ghana Youth Employment and Entrepreneurial Development Agency (GYEEDA). The researcher adopted simple random sampling technique in collecting data from these respondents. Data was collected through direct visitation, observation, and interview guide and was analyzed with thematic approach. After assessing how Agricultural module under Ghana Youth Employment and Entrepreneurial Agency is helping to reduce unemployment among Ghanaian youth, the study found that the percentage of youth actually employed under the Youth in Agriculture Programme (YIAP) has fallen far short of general expectation, as not even half of the expected number to be employed under the Youth in Agriculture Programme (YIAP) was actually employed. Information received from the respondents on various challenges associated with agricultural module under Ghana Youth Employment and Entrepreneurial Development Agency (GYEEDA) include: financial challenges, heavy politicization, problem of land acquisition, low level of education, access to inputs acquisition and problem of research and development. The study recommends that to minimise political colorization, government must employ coordinators based on competence and not party affiliation and government should assist these young farmers on land acquisition since most of these lands are held by chiefs and are not used for any farming business. The study recommends to Ghana government through appropriate agencies like Agricultural research institute and centre for scientific research to embark on new and modern ways of farming in order to improve farming yields in Ghana.