Youth Unemployment and Conflict: Implications for Agricultural Development and Food Security in Nigeria

The main objective of this study was to assess the implication of youth unemployment and conflict on food security and agricultural development. The specific objectives include; to identify the determinants of youth unemployment and conflict, examine the implication of youth unemployment and conflict on food security and agricultural development and to identify the strategies put in place to reduce youth unemployment. The identified determinants of youth unemployment and the resulting conflict include; low economic growth rate, poor implementation and adoption of untimely policy measures, sociological and psychological attitude towards vocational studies, neglect of agricultural sector, poor enabling environment, rural urban migration, high population of youths and inadequate power supply. The implications of youth unemployment and conflict on food security and agricultural development include; poverty, food insecurity, high food importation bill, waste of human resource and loss of lives and properties. Programmes across the country to promote and facilitate entrepreneurship among others were some of the strategies put in place by government to reduce youth’s unemployment. The study therefore recommends that the current education curriculum be revised or enhanced to meet the needs of the learners and the labour market, diversification of the economy especially towards Agriculture should be facilitated and that rural infrastructure should be provided to reduce rural-urban migration.