DOI: https://doi.org/10.36347/sjahss.2024.v12i12.005

Pages: 389-394

The study, empowering youths in domestication of grasscutter for food security was conducted in Enugu state. The study adopted survey research design, using two research questions and one hypotheses tested at 0.05 level of significance. The respondents were 54 (40 agricultural extension staff and 14 grasscutter farmers) which were purposively sampled from a population of 124 (104 extension staff and 24 grasscutter). A structured questionnaire containing 42 items with four point rating scale and response categories such as very Highily Required (VHR), Highly Required (HR) Slightly Required (SR) and Not Required (NR) was the instrument used for data collection. The instrument was validated by three research experts. The reliability of the instrument was determined using Cronbach Alpha and co-efficient index value of 0.77 was obtained. Grand mean with grand standard deviation was used to answer the research questions while t-test was used to test the null hypothesis. The finding was that the youths needed to be exposed to domestication skills in grasscutter farming such as skills in feeding, health management and marketing. They also need to be properly supported financially by government, NGOs, for food security in Enugu State. It was recommended that these skills needed to be packaged and taken to skill acquisition center for youths and farmers who are interested in grasscutter domestication, and the fund should be made available to youths by the government, NGOs, and individuals and that soft loans should be made available to youth for empowerment in grasscutter production.