Determinant Factors of Rural Youth Participation in Agricultural Development Programme at Majalengka District, Indonesia

Research on rural youth’s participation in agricultural development especially in Majalengka is limited. This study aims to: (1) describe existing youth participation rate, (2) analyse factors determine youth participation in agricultural development, and (3) formulate strategies to increase youth participation in agricultural development. A survey was conducted using a closed questionnaire taken from 90 respondents, on which they selected by using Slovin formula. The respondents were selected from 726 youth populations in four sub-districts. The research findings are: (1) youth participation in agricultural development is in medium category with the average score 2.23. The independent variables (personal characteristics, external support, and motivation) are also in the moderate category. (2) Those independents variables contribute significantly (p≤0.01) to youth participation, with coefficients of influence for personal characteristics, external support, and motivation are -0.014, 0.343, and 0.651 respectively. (3) strategies to increase youth participation are to maintain and encourage motivation through enhancing personal capacity and external support by (a) facilitating youth in education and training, encouraging them in youth organizations or farmer groups; (b) optimizing farmer groups’ support in empowering human and natural resources; and (c) maintaining participation’s due to the desire of being better known by the surrounding community, opportunity to build cooperation, and maintaining unconditional motive in participating.