INVESTIGATING THE POTENTIAL OF MORINGA OLEIFERA FOR AGRIBUSINESS DEVELOPMENT AND RURAL YOUTHS’ SELF-EMPLOYMENT IN THE LIVINGSTONE RURAL AREAS

Abstract Title: Investigating the Potential of Moringa Oleifera for Agribusiness Development and Rural Youths’ Self-Employment in Livingstone Rural Areas Moringa oleifera is a nutritious vegetable tree with a variety of potential uses as almost every part of the tree can be used. Moringa oleifera is very useful as an alley crop in the agro-forestry industry. It is useful not only for human beings but also for animals and also in various industrial applications. Besides Moringa oleifera being processed into medicine, it contains acetone which can be prepared into herbal formulation which is an effective anti-malaria bio agent. Moringa oleifera has the potential to be a source of new drugs. This study was conducted in Livingstone district of the southern province of Zambia. The main objective of the study was to examine the factors that determine the use of Moringa oleifera for agribusiness development and rural youths’ self-employment around the Livingstone rural area in Zambia. Purposive sampling was used to select the respondents that grow Moringa oleifera and who are youths aged 18-34 years in two villages, namely, Musokotwane and Mukuni. Descriptive analysis of the data was done where frequencies and percentages illustrated the different aspects of data. Quantitative data obtained were summarised and presented in graphs, pie charts and tables. Regression analysis using a binary Probit model was conducted to specifically identify the youths’ socio-economic attributes, their perceptions, challenges, aspirations, and the opportunities of Moringa oleifera for agribusiness development and rural youths’ self-employment around Livingstone rural areas of Zambia. Results from the study revealed that the majority of the respondents (28 percent) fell within the range of less than 18 years of age and they were single (71 percent). The results also showed that the majority of respondents were aware of the Moringa oleifera plant and its uses (30.3 percent) and they used it for medicine, while 0.3 percent used the plant for income generation through the sale of its products. The perception statements on the benefits of Moringa oleifera indicated that the respondents rated it to be favourable. The results showed that there was no statistically significant relationship between the sex of the respondents and the growing of Moringa oleifera, at five percent level of significance, with 45 percent males and 55 percent females in the sample. There was also no statistically significant difference in the growing of Moringa oleifera by family size. The study further revealed that youths were aware of the plant and could identify the plant physically and by name. The findings of the study provide information on the challenges and opportunities that the youths are facing as they venture into agribusiness in the study area. The results show that 18 percent of the youth have challenges in accessing land while 45 percent lacked finance, 24 percent mentioned high costs of agicultural machinery and 8 percent cited illiteracy

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among the youths. These challenges contribute to the small numbers of youths participating in agribusiness. Therefore, if policy makers would consider polices that increase access to land, finance, agricultural machinery and address illiteracy among the youths, the production and use of Moringa oleifera would increase. The study findings are significant to policy makers and donors as they provide information to direct funding towards supporting and designing policies that are beneficial for youths involved in agribusiness. Key words: Agribusiness; Livingstone rural areas; Moringa oleifera; Probit model; Youths