EFFECTS OF DESCRIPTIVE NORMS, PERCEIVED ECONOMIC VIABILITY AND BEHAVIOURAL INTENTION ON LIVESTOCK AGRIPRENEURSHIP AMONG AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE STUDENTS IN NIGER STATE, NIGERIA

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INTRODUCTION
The occurrence of world-wide obligation in the direction of the confronting foremost world encounters fashioned the Sustainable Development Goals which represents a more comprehensive agenda than the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) with 17 goals, 169 targets and well over 200 indicators (IAEG-SDGs, 2016), of which poverty eradication is a topmost priority on the list. Similarly, the Nigerian agrarian learning strategies with regards to its objectives points towards self-reliance in food production for the provision of raw materials for agro-based industries and consumption (NPE, 2004). Thus, the establishment of service chances is obvious in the Nigerian Government policy (Awogbenle and Iwuamadi, 2010). This strife pointed to amassed global and regional inclination towards well-being.
Nonetheless, sustainable agriculture development, which is effective against insufficiency and starvation, requires involvedness with entrepreneurship and youth participation (Osikabor et al., 2011). Entrepreneurship is seen as looking for venture openings (Suleiman, 2006) and entrepreneurial education is the device of eliminating graduates being without a job (Akpomi, 2009). Without a doubt, entrepreneurship can be imparted (Williams, 1983;and Farley, 2000) and this training provides an answer for the social and economic trials of the country (Dickson et al., 2008;and Garba, 2010). Nevertheless, redundancy increases among young graduates such that life after school has turned challenging for countless beneficiaries of higher education, making education for a sustainable future an illusion (Amali, 2007). The challenge of youth participation in agriculture is a protracted one. The time after time reported mean age of Nigerian farmers is between 45 and 60 years (Akoroda, 2009).
At hand is the jeopardy that Nigeria might be faced close disappearance of the agricultural populace ensuing from the breakdown of her agrarians by age or bereavement (Mama, 1991), thus having in mind that Nigeria is a youth economy (Oviawe, 2010). Up till now, just a little of those who were trained in the agricultural institutions engaged in agriculture after graduating from school (Igbon, 2004). Disappointingly, food importation has increased (Okeke, 2004).
Pertinently, agriculture is bawled to be a vocational discipline (Egun, 2009). In spite of these, how far-flung are youths, specifically the agriculture academically privileged, prepared to clinch the arts of agripreneurship? Regardless of the significance of this query to stakeholders, in any case as an apparatus of valuation, a reassurance or otherwise, little is known about it. So many issues, together with political, cognitive, psychological, socioeconomic and religions are certain to stimulate such effort. Until now, there is a dearth of study into youth agripreneurship in the African context (Chigunta et al., 2005;and Schoof, 2006). This study, therefore, seeks about the influence of the descriptive norms, perceived economic viability and behavioural intention of livestock agripreneurship among agricultural college students in Niger State. Livestock agripreneurship is of more importance since animal protein seems to be of a greater problem with respect to the typical Nigerian diet (Odunsi et al., 2007).
The following hypotheses were tested in the null form. H01: There is no significant effect of personal characteristics on the behavioural intention of livestock agripreneurship among agricultural college students in Niger State, Nigeria. H02: There is no significant effect of descriptive norms on the behavioural intention of livestock agripreneurship among agricultural college students in Niger State, Nigeria. H03: There is no significant effect of perceived economic viability on the behavioural intention of livestock agripreneurship among agricultural college students in Niger State, Nigeria.

Sampling Techniques and Method of Data Collection
The population of the study comprised all final year students in the selected tertiary institutions. This included all the National Diploma II and Higher National Diploma II students in the departments related to animal production disciplines of the selected Colleges of Agriculture in Niger State.
A multi-stage sampling procedure was used for the purpose of selecting respondents. A purposive simple random sampling was used to select 75% of the total number of the 576 selected final year students of the selected institutions to give a sample size of 432 students which was used for data analysis.

Method of Data Collection
Primary data used for the study were collected through the administration of a questionnaire tailored towards realizing the objectives of the study. Variables studied included the descriptive norms which were measured using a 9-item instrument, perceived economic viability which was measured using a 12-item instrument and behavioural intention of the respondents in livestock agripreneurship which was measured using a 12-item instrument on a 5-point Likert scale of strongly agree to strongly disagree. These were adapted from the scale of Osikabor et al. (2011).

Analytical Tools
Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics such as frequency and percentage. Inferential statistics such as linear regression was used to test the hypotheses of the study. The linear regression was specified to determine the relationship between a dependent variable and a group of independent variables. It estimates the coefficients of the linear equation, involving one or more independent variables that best predict the value of the dependent variable. The importance of regression analysis in this study was to find out the significant factors that influenced the behavioural intention of agripreneurship among agricultural college students in the study area. The linear regression equation is represented in the explicit form as: Y = a + b1X1 + b2X2 + b3X3 + b4X4 + e …(1) where; Y = Behavioural intention X1 = Descriptive norms X2 = Perceived economic viability X3 = Age of student X4 = Student's Class Performance using Cumulative Grade Point Average bi = Coefficient ( i = 1, 2, …, n) a = Constant e = Stochastic Disturbance

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Socio-economic Characteristics of the Respondents
As indicated in Table 1, the majority of the respondents were males (63.2%) while the female respondents constituted 36.8%. This result corroborated the findings of Oladeji and Thomas (2010) that across tertiary institutions, the proportion of male to female respondents is higher in favour of males. This can be as a result of the generally held notion that agriculture is mainly for the males because of the labour related to it (Tijani and Omirin, 2013). However, as marriage converses responsibility (Akinbile, 2007), it followed that majority (87.5%) of the respondents decided to put in for diploma certificate programs while they were single so as to warrant full concentration on their studies. Besides, a majority (84.7%) of the respondents were below 26 years old while the mean age of the respondents was approximately 23 years. These implied that the respondents were young people and are in their youthful age. This finding is supported by Osikabor et al. (2011), Ayanda et al. (2012) and Tijani et al. (2013) that reported a mean age of 25.9 years, 19.6 years and 29.6 years in a similar study among students of tertiary institutions in Oyo State, Kwara State and South-West, Nigeria respectively. However, majority of the respondents (59.7%) are of good standing in their class performance with a cumulative grade point average of ≥ 2.5. This showed that a larger proportion of the respondents are of average academic performance in their various study disciplines.

Descriptive Norms of Livestock Agripreneurship
Descriptive norms refer to individuals' beliefs about the prevalence of Behaviour (Rimal and Real, 2003). Table 2 indicated statement as 'Poultry production is very popular' (x ̅ = 3.85) ranked highest by the mean score rating and was followed by Fish production is very common (x ̅ = 3.76); many people rely on fish production to fend for themselves (x ̅ = 3.69); these days, many people rely on poultry production to make ends meet (x ̅ = 3.67), Lots of people engage in poultry production these days (x ̅ = 3.63) ; many people engage in snail production to make money (x ̅ = 3.52) ; people who engage in fish production these days are many (x ̅ = 3.39); there is a widespread production of snails (x ̅ = 3.16) and I know lots of people who engage in snail production these days (x ̅ = 3.09) were all moderately rated by the respondents. Mean Poultry production is very popular 3.85 Fish production is very common 3.76 Many people rely on fish production to fend for themselves 3.69 These days, many people rely on poultry production to make ends meet 3.67 Lots of people engage in poultry production these days 3.63 Many people engage in snail production to make money 3.52 People who engage in fish production these days are many 3.39 There is a widespread production of snails 3.16 I know lots of people who engage in snail production these days 3.09 Grand Mean 3.53 Source: Field survey, 2019

Perceived Economic Viability of Livestock Agripreneurship
Perceived Economic Viability is defined here as the individuals' view of the economic potential to embark on new technology and to safeguard its continuation in order to uphold all the other values (Taebi, 2013). Table 3 indicated statement as 'Fish production is a gainful employment' (x ̅ = 3.97) ranked highest by the mean score rating and was followed by poultry production is a gainful activity (x ̅ = 3.86); and poultry production is very profitable (x ̅ = 3.83). With poultry production, one can achieve financial success in life (x ̅ = 3.78). With fish production, one can adequately make ends meet (x ̅ = 3.77). Mean Fish production is a gainful employment 3.97 Poultry production is a gainful activity 3.86 Poultry production is very profitable 3.83 With poultry production, one can achieve financial success in life 3.78 With fish production, one can adequately make ends meet 3.77 Fish production makes financial sense 3.69 Snail production is very profitable 3.56 Snail production is a lucrative employment 3.56 Fish production is extra lucrative than most other businesses 3.51 Poultry production is more gainful than most other productive adventures 3.44 Through snail production, one can attain financial heights in life 3.34 Snail production is more profitable than most other businesses 3.13 Grand Mean 3.62 Source: Field survey, 2019 Fish production makes financial sense (x ̅ = 3.69). Snail production is very profitable (x ̅ = 3.56), Snail production is a lucrative employment (x ̅ = 3.56). Fish production is extra lucrative than most other businesses (x ̅ = 3.51). Poultry production is more gainful than most other productive adventures (x ̅ = 3.44) and through with snail production, one can attain financial heights in life (x ̅ = 3.34). Snail production is more profitable than most other businesses (x ̅ = 3.13) were all moderately rated by the respondents.

Behavioural Intention of Respondents in Livestock Agripreneurship
Behavioural intention is defined as a person's perceived likelihood or "subjective probability that he or she will engage in a given Behaviour" (Committee on Communication for Behaviour Change in the 21st Century, 2002). Table 4 indicated statement as 'I intend to make a career out of poultry production' (x ̅ = 3.81) ranked highest by the mean score rating and was followed by I will take it a point of duty to start my own snailery business in time to come (x ̅ = 3.74); I will take on poultry production as a vocation (x ̅ = 3.69); I will take it a point of duty to start my own fishery business in time to come (x ̅ = 3.65); I will engage in snail production in future (x ̅ = 3.65); I will engage in fish production in future (x ̅ = 3.61); I will proudly establish my own snail producing outfit (x ̅ = 3.56); I will proudly establish my own fish producing outfit (x ̅ = 3.56); I will take on fish production as a vocation (x ̅ = 3.47); I will take it a point of duty to start my own snailery business in time to come (x ̅ = 3.38); I will proudly establish my own snail producing outfit (x ̅ = 3.31; and, I will take on snailery production as a vocation (x ̅ =3.22) were all moderately rated by the respondents. The implication of this result is that the majority of the respondents will participate in the production business of poultry, fish and snail and this agrees with the findings agreed of Osikabor et al. (2011).

Statements
Mean I intend to make a career out of poultry production 3.81 I will take it a point of duty to start my own snailery business in time to come 3.74 I will take on poultry production as a vocation 3.69 I will take it a point of duty to start my own fishery business in time to come 3.65 I will engage in snail production in future 3.65 I will engage in fish production in future 3.61 I will proudly establish my own snail producing outfit 3.56 I will proudly establish my own fish producing outfit 3.56 I will take on fish production as a vocation 3.47 I will take it a point of duty to start my own snailery business in time to come 3.38 I will proudly establish my own snail producing outfit 3.31 I will take on snailery production as a vocation 3.22 Grand Mean 3.55 Source: Field survey, 2019

Explanatory Variables Effects on Behavioural Intention of Livestock Agripreneurship
This section analyzed the results of the effects of personal characteristics, descriptive norms and perceived economic viability on the behavioural intention of livestock agripreneurship (Table 5). The model showed a significant relationship between the descriptive norms and perceived economic viability of the respondents' vis-à-vis their behavioural intention of livestock agripreneurship. The equation showed that the coefficient for the descriptive norms of the agricultural college students was 0.203. The implication of this is that for every additional one percent in agricultural college students' perceived prevalence of livestock agripreneurship, it is expected that their behavioural intention of livestock agripreneurship would increase by an average of 20.3%. However, the coefficient for the perceived economic viability of livestock agripreneurship was 0.247. This implied that for every additional one percent of agricultural college students' perceived economic viability of livestock agripreneurship, it is expected that their behavioural intention of livestock agripreneurship would increase by an average of 24.7%. These findings are in line with Osikabor et al. (2011) who conducted a similar study among final year agriculture-related students in Ibadan, Nigeria.

CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS
A descriptive norm which is the perceived prevalence of livestock agripreneurship alongside with perceived economic viability of livestock agripreneurship is pertinently considered as well-meaning independent variables that explained and predicted the behavioural intention of livestock agripreneurship among college students in Niger State, Nigeria. The rationale behind the use of perceived economic viability as a joint predictor of behavioural intention was due to its understanding, as profit-making is central to entrepreneurship. Therefore, descriptive norms and perceived economic viability are major determinants of the behavioural intention of agricultural college students in livestock agripreneurship in the study area. As a result of this outcome, agripreneurship norms, its economic viability and the youth behavioural intention towards it could be enhanced through the youth engagement programmes, better enabling environment, agripreneurship awareness and promotions.