SMALL RUMINANT PRODUCTION AS A POTENTIAL SOURCE OF EMPLOYMENT FOR SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATES IN THE SAGNARIGU DISTRICT IN NORTHERN REGION

Abstract

There is great issue of concern to the alarming rate of the increasing number of SHS graduates who do not proceed to any higher education and cannot be absorbed by both the public and private sector in the job market annually in Ghana. Small ruminant production can provide lots of significant employment potential for youth to engage in. This study looked at the assessment of the potential of small ruminant production as a source of employment for Senior High School Graduates in the Sagnarigu District. The study examined the following specific objectives; to assess SHS graduates perception of small ruminant production, to investigate the activities that would to attract SHS graduates in the various communities to take up small ruminant production, to explore the employment opportunities in small ruminant production and to ascertain the challenges preventing SHS graduates to take to small ruminant production as an a source of employment. The study adopted the descriptive survey design. Data was then analyzed using descriptive statistics in the form of frequency distribution, percentages and standard deviations. Based on the study it was concluded that SHS the activities that would attract SHS graduates in the various communities to take up small ruminant production as a potential source of employment opportunity were earning good profit, getting support from MOFA, the availability of source of breeding stock and creating of ready markets. However, inadequate capital to start and inadequate feed/ feeding during the dry season were the challenging factors preventing SHS graduates to take to small ruminant production as a source of employment. The curriculum of senior high school agriculture should be revisited to make it more practically oriented. There should also be the availability of source of breeding stock and start-up capital from Government, parents and relations.