Abstract:
Primary multipurpose farmers cooperative has been given due attention by the Ethiopian government specifically by improving the Rural farmers Economy. But, in primary multipurpose farmers cooperative Youth’ participation in its activities is often challenging, especially in large cooperatives with diversified business activities and with large membership. The participation of Youth farmers in different primary multipurpose farmers’ cooperatives will accelerate the transformation of the Ethiopian economy in general and the agricultural sector in particular. However the government policy direction promotes active participation of Youth farmers in primary multipurpose farmers in Ethiopia as well as in the study area, still majority of Youth farmers are hesitant to join primary multipurpose farmers’ cooperatives. The aim of this study was identifying the determinants of Youth participation in primary multipurpose farmers‟ cooperatives in Study Area. Data were collected from 143 farmer’s selected using a multi stage sampling technique was used. The study used both primary and secondary data collection method. Econometric method of data analysis involving Binary Logistic regression model was used to analyze the Determinants of Youth’ participation in primary multipurpose farmer cooperative in the study area.In addition, descriptive analysis was employed to analyze the survey data and Findings show that majority (74%) of rural youth males are participate in primary multipurpose farmer cooperatives activities through members and few (25.4%) females rural youth who participate in primary multipurpose farmer cooperatives activities through members and other cooperatives activities. This means majority that the family sizes for both participants and non-participants lie in the same age range. Binary Logistic model result reveals that education and years of cooperative have the potential to increase Youths participation while sex/being female, market access and distance of cooperative to office have negative effect. Because of involvement in the activities of the cooperatives, respondents show significant difference between passive Youth participant and active Youth participant respondents determine their share value .In terms of service utilization respondents, (buying consumption goods, selling crop) is significant difference between passively participating Youths and actively participating Youth. Therefore, the study suggests that any stakeholders should be creating market linkage, increasing educational level of Youth and incoming Youth should be given through training and awareness creation to enable them to be more active and effective Youths.
