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Large-scale agricultural investment and female employment in African communities: Quantitative and qualitative insights from Nigeria

Author

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  • Edafe, Oluwatosin D.
  • Osabuohien, Evans
  • Matthew, Oluwatoyin
  • Osabohien, Romanus
  • Khatoon, Rehmat

Abstract

This study examines how large-scale agricultural investments (LSAIs) affect employment outcomes of female-headed households in Nigeria. It focuses on wage income and labour allocations of households in communities where LSAIs occurred in comparison with households in communities where LSAIs did not occur. It engages a mixed method approach, which involves the quantitative and qualitative. The quantitative data was sourced from the Living Standards Measurement Study-Integrated Surveys on Agriculture (LSMS-ISA), which was analysed using Propensity Score Matching (PSM). The qualitative analysis entails in-depth interviews (IDIs) and focus group discussions (FGDs). The results show a positive relationship with the household income living in communities with LSAIs, but a negative association with labour allocation to agricultural activities. Also, the findings indicate that households in communities where LSAIs took place received higher wages and spent fewer hours in agriculture. Though, female-headed households spent more time on agricultural activities than the male-headed households, they earn less. The analysis from the qualitative study show, among others things, that female-headed households spent more time on off-farm business despite the fact that they earn less. The study concludes by recommending that the possible adverse employment effects of LSAIs could be reduced by optimising its positive impact, especially with respect to female-headed households in rural communities where most of such investments occur.

Suggested Citation

  • Edafe, Oluwatosin D. & Osabuohien, Evans & Matthew, Oluwatoyin & Osabohien, Romanus & Khatoon, Rehmat, 2023. "Large-scale agricultural investment and female employment in African communities: Quantitative and qualitative insights from Nigeria," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 127(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:lauspo:v:127:y:2023:i:c:s0264837723000455
    DOI: 10.1016/j.landusepol.2023.106579
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Agricultural investments; Employment outcome; Labour allocation; Wage income;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • E22 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Consumption, Saving, Production, Employment, and Investment - - - Investment; Capital; Intangible Capital; Capacity
    • E24 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Consumption, Saving, Production, Employment, and Investment - - - Employment; Unemployment; Wages; Intergenerational Income Distribution; Aggregate Human Capital; Aggregate Labor Productivity
    • P36 - Political Economy and Comparative Economic Systems - - Socialist Institutions and Their Transitions - - - Consumer Economics; Health; Education and Training; Welfare, Income, Wealth, and Poverty

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