ABSTRACT

The name "Okada" simply means the use of motorcycle for commercial transport operations. This study was designed to examine the impact of OKADA" on the Agricultural and Rural Development of Anambra State. Nigeria. A multistage random sampling technique was used in choosing the sample. Primary data collected from 320 respondents, comprising household heads, tradesmen and okada riders were used in the study. The lirst stae sampling involved the purposive selection of two local government areas Iroiii each of the four Agricultural zones in the State. Next was a randoiii seIecii n of' two towns and also two vii lages from each town to give a total of lb irtv-l\\ villages. Three well-structured questionnaire was used to collect data fi'oni respondent household heads, tradesmen and okada riders. Descriptive and inferential statistics, ordinary least square regression model and '7-test analysis were used in analyzing the data. The results of the analysis show that okada operators are essentially migrants from rural communities to urban centers and cities. It also revealed that okada riding is gender bias, male dominated. I )ata analysis using the ordinary least square regression model show I hat I lie number of mandays spent in agriculture by okada riders within the household significantly affects household farm labour supply negatively. What this signi lies is that the more the number of okada riders in a household. the le the number of "farm hands" available for agricultural !hrm work in the household. The result further indicated that there is a dearth of certain arti sat ta I trades and occupations in the study area. Arlisanal trades like cobhlei's. blacksmiths, watch-repairers and vulcanizers are the worst threatened. Ii. 4 appears that the youths are no longer interested in understudying and learning these trades from the skilled and in some cases, aged and. retiring artisans. ( )n income, the study showed that income ll'om okada riding members iii a household was significantly (57%) more than income from non-okuda ridinr members of the family. They earn income from okada operations in addition to other sundry income from other money yielding activities. Agricultural farm labour is certainly under threat by this massive youth participation iii okacla transport operations. It is recommended that government should encourage people to stay in the villages by making available such amenities (like satellite TV viewing centres), that would encourage the youths to slu\ and develop their communities. This encouragement would no doubt enhance rapid rural development and bring the rural areas to the mainstream ol' national de ye lopment.