Analysis of Youth Participation in Hides and Skin Processing and Marketing in Sokoto-Metropolis, Sokoto State, Nigeria

Abstract

Livestock breeding with other related activities the most important sectors of agriculture provide the population with food and essential raw materials. The aim of this study is to describe the socio-economic characteristics of the youth participating in hide and skin processing and marketing in the study area, and to describe the level of youth participation in hide and skin processing and marketing; with view to determine the cost and return in hide and skin processing and marketing; as well as to evaluate the constraint encountered by youth involved in hide and skin processing and marketing in the study area. A total number of 100 samples were collected with the aid of a structured questionnaire. The information was collected based on socio-demography, hide and skin processing methods practiced by respondents, and constraints faced by the processor in the study area. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the data collected, which involves the use of measures of central tendency such as means, frequency distributions and percentages to describe the socio-economic characteristics of leather processors in the study area and the constraint confronting the leather processing and marketers. It was found that quality control assessment of the product, poor extension services, lack of protective wears, expose to dangerous chemicals were seen to have a significant effect on the participation of youth in hide and skin processing and marketing. Age, marital status, household size, and training experience had no effect on the youth's participation in the hide and skin processing and marketing. The study also found that despite the constraint youth experienced in the study area, they still contributed greatly to tanning activities and were willing to continue with tanning activities as a profession.