Livelihood assessment of rural youth through Krishi Vigyan Kendra interventions in Kanyakumari district

Abstract

National agricultural development of today has its focus on rural youth who can gear the rapid socio-economic development progress in the rural areas. Agricultural policy makers in the nation are concerned about the widespread exodus of young rural people from farming to non-farm sectors and metropolitan areas. Agricultural operations in the future are expected to be impacted by this trend, which needs to be checked. A shift toward more economically and intellectually fulfilling agriculture techniques for the younger generation is rapidly approaching. Research on youth participation in creative and sustainable farming methods that contribute to agriculture's profitability must be addressed. The need for self confidence and sense of autonomy has to be boosted up among the rural youth through agro based trainings and capacity building programmes to make agriculture a profitable venture for the rural yout. This paper highlights on the entrepreneurial attributes, relevancy of the trainings and the challenges they face in for their sustained effort in agricultural sector. This study revealed a higher level of entrepreneurial behaviour with respect to entrepreneurial competency and financial competency in allied sector and more of socio business competency in farm+ allied together. The rural youth were convinced by the interventions with respect to the relevancy in enhancing awareness and knowledge (93.94%). All respondents (100%) in allied sector feel that the interventions provided has the capacity to create employment and reduce technological gap.