Drivers of agricultural students’ career choices in the broiler value chain in Ghana

Abstract

This study examined the key factors that drive agricultural students’ decisions to engage in the broiler value chain (BVC) as an employment option. The study was designed quantitatively, involving the collection of primary data from 728 students across four public universities in Ghana. Data was analysed using descriptive statistics, such as frequencies, means, standard deviation, and percentage to describe the socioeconomic characteristics of the respondents, a binary probit regression model was used to analyse the factors that influence students’ decisions to engage in BVC activities as a vocation after graduation, and multivariate probit (MVP) regression model was used in assessing factors influencing youth engagement in broiler value chain activities. The findings show that parents who are poultry farmers and have knowledge of specific BVC activity positively drive students’ engagement in input production and distribution. On the other hand, sex, parents who are poultry farmers, and perceived high capital requirement positively influence students’ choice of broiler production. Furthermore, age, sex, and parents who are poultry farmers positively influence students’ decisions to choose broiler processing and marketing, while the effect of poultry production being a high-risk business is negative. Age, parents who are poultry farmers, students’ engagement in economic activities, and their knowledge of specific BVC activities positively influenced their decision to venture into waste management and provision of support services after graduation. The study therefore recommended that the government of Ghana should formulate policies that create an enabling business environment and reduce the perceived risk associated with BVC businesses. These de-risking policies would align with the model results, which show that lowering risk perception can substantially increase the participation of young people.