IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/plo/pone00/0290877.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Analysing urban and peri-urban youth employment in agribusiness in Malawi

Author

Listed:
  • Dingase Mkandawire
  • Sika Gbegbelegbe
  • Justus V Nsenga
  • Mastewal Yami
  • Edwin Kenamu

Abstract

The study aims to analyse key determinants of urban and peri-urban youth employment in agribusiness in Malawi to support youth policies. A mixed-methods approach is used, which combines both quantitative and qualitative analyses. The quantitative method involved a Bivariate Logit Model and Multinomial Logit Model to analyse nationally representative survey data from the Fourth Integrated Household Survey in 2016–2017. The qualitative method employed thematic analysis to data generated through Focus Group Discussions and Key Informant Interviews for key stakeholders involved in agri-business in Lilongwe district. The qualitative analysis, which focuses on a case study for urban and peri-urban youth in agribusiness, was used to validate, and provide context for the quantitative analysis. The results revealed that a majority of the urban and peri-urban youth engaged in agribusiness across Malawi work in sole farming (family farms or ganyu); in addition, women outnumber men in terms of engagement in agribusiness, and this stems from tradition. In addition, the determinants that affect youth’s engagement in agribusiness consist of demographic factors, institutional support, assets, and shocks. It was also shown that men were more likely than women to be engaged in sole farming, but they were as likely as women to be engaged in other forms of agribusiness. The policy recommendation from this study is that programs aimed at supporting youth engagement in agribusiness should consider a variety of factors; If resources are limited, the programs should ensure that they offer capacity strengthening for the youth in the form of extension services and practical training in agribusiness.

Suggested Citation

  • Dingase Mkandawire & Sika Gbegbelegbe & Justus V Nsenga & Mastewal Yami & Edwin Kenamu, 2023. "Analysing urban and peri-urban youth employment in agribusiness in Malawi," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 18(9), pages 1-23, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:plo:pone00:0290877
    DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0290877
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0290877
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0290877&type=printable
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1371/journal.pone.0290877?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Bezu, Sosina & Kassie, Girma T. & Shiferaw, Bekele & Ricker-Gilbert, Jacob, 2014. "Impact of Improved Maize Adoption on Welfare of Farm Households in Malawi: A Panel Data Analysis," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 59(C), pages 120-131.
    2. Palacios-Lopez, Amparo & Christiaensen, Luc & Kilic, Talip, 2017. "How much of the labor in African agriculture is provided by women?," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 67(C), pages 52-63.
    3. Patrick Byishimo & Adane Tufa & Mastewal Yami & Arega D. Alene & Shiferaw Feleke & Tahirou Abdoulaye & Victor Manyong, 2022. "The Effect of Land Inheritance on Youth Migration and Employment Decisions in Rwanda," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(9), pages 1-14, April.
    4. Mueller, Valerie & Rosenbach, Gracie & Thurlow, James, 2019. "Conclusion [in Youth and jobs in rural Africa: Beyond stylized facts]," IFPRI book chapters, in: Youth and jobs in rural Africa: Beyond stylized facts, chapter 10, pages yj277-288, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    5. Mueller, Valerie & Thurlow, James, 2019. "Youth and jobs in rural Africa: Beyond stylized facts: Synopsis:," IFPRI synopses 9780896296855, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    6. Fisher, Monica & Kandiwa, Vongai, 2014. "Can agricultural input subsidies reduce the gender gap in modern maize adoption? Evidence from Malawi," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 45(C), pages 101-111.
    7. Etela, Ibisime & Onoja, Anthony O., 2017. "Incentivizing e-Agriculture and Agribusiness Incubators for Youth Employment in Nigeria," Nigerian Agricultural Policy Research Journal (NAPReJ), Agricultural Policy Research Network (APRNet), vol. 2(01), August.
    8. Mueller, Valerie & Thurlow, James, 2019. "Youth and jobs in rural Africa: Beyond stylized facts," IFPRI books, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), number 9780198848059.
    9. de Jong, Eelke & Smits, Jeroen & Longwe, Abiba, 2017. "Estimating the Causal Effect of Fertility on Women’s Employment in Africa Using Twins," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 90(C), pages 360-368.
    10. Mastewal Yami & Shiferaw Feleke & Tahirou Abdoulaye & Arega D. Alene & Zoumana Bamba & Victor Manyong, 2019. "African Rural Youth Engagement in Agribusiness: Achievements, Limitations, and Lessons," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(1), pages 1-15, January.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Mkandawire, Dingase & Gbegbelegbe, Sika Dofonsou & Yami, Mastewal & Nsenga, Justus & Kenamu, Edwin & Manyong, Victor & Abdoulaye, Tahirou & Alene, Arega & Bamba, Zoumana, 2021. "Analysing Urban and Peri-Urban Youth Employment in Agribusiness in Malawi: A Mixed Methods Approach," 2021 Conference, August 17-31, 2021, Virtual 315214, International Association of Agricultural Economists.
    2. Frederick Amon-Armah & Nana Akua Anyidoho & Isaac Alvin Amoah & Sander Muilerman, 2023. "A Typology of Young Cocoa Farmers: Attitudes, Motivations and Aspirations," The European Journal of Development Research, Palgrave Macmillan;European Association of Development Research and Training Institutes (EADI), vol. 35(4), pages 770-793, August.
    3. Unnikrishnan, Vidhya & Pinet, Melanie & Marc, Lukasz & Boateng, Nathaniel Amoh & Boateng, Ethel Seiwaa & Pasanen, Tiina & Atta-Mensah, Maya & Bridonneau, Sophie, 2022. "Impact of an integrated youth skill training program on youth livelihoods: A case study of cocoa belt region in Ghana," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 151(C).
    4. Bart Minten & Belay Mohammed & Seneshaw Tamru, 2020. "Emerging Medium-Scale Tenant Farming, Gig Economies, and the COVID-19 Disruption: The Case of Commercial Vegetable Clusters in Ethiopia," The European Journal of Development Research, Palgrave Macmillan;European Association of Development Research and Training Institutes (EADI), vol. 32(5), pages 1402-1429, December.
    5. Lateef Olalekan Bello & Lloyd J. S. Baiyegunhi & Gideon Danso-Abbeam & Adebayo Isaiah Ogunniyi & Kehinde Olagunju & Tahirou Abdoulaye & Victor Manyong & Zoumana Bamba & Bola Amoke Awotide, 2022. "Assessing the Impact of Youth-in-Agribusiness Program on Poverty and Vulnerability to Poverty in Nigeria," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 12(5), pages 1-14, May.
    6. Paul Christian & Steven Glover & Florence Kondylis & Valerie Mueller & Matteo Ruzzante & Astrid Zwager, 2022. "Do private consultants promote savings and investments in rural Mozambique?," Agricultural Economics, International Association of Agricultural Economists, vol. 53(1), pages 22-36, January.
    7. René Bodjrènou & Françoise Comandan & Derrick Kwadwo Danso, 2023. "Assessment of Current and Future Land Use and Land Cover in the Oueme Basin for Hydrological Studies," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(3), pages 1-16, January.
    8. Mayorga, Joaquin & Mishra, Ashok K. & Villacis, Alexis, 2022. "Extreme Heat and Agricultural TFP: The Case of Nigerian Subsistence Agriculture," 2022 Annual Meeting, July 31-August 2, Anaheim, California 322527, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    9. Kruseman, Gideon & Dermawan, Ahmad & Diagne, Mandiaye & Enahoro, Dolapo & Frija, Aymen & Gatto, Marcel & Gbegbelegbe, Sika & Komarek, Adam M. & Mausch, Kai & Mottaleb, Khondoker, 2021. "Foresight for income and employment: What can we learn for agricultural research for development," SocArXiv 783rw, Center for Open Science.
    10. Wendy Geza & Mjabuliseni Ngidi & Temitope Ojo & Adetoso Adebiyi Adetoro & Rob Slotow & Tafadzwanashe Mabhaudhi, 2021. "Youth Participation in Agriculture: A Scoping Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(16), pages 1-15, August.
    11. Raymond Boadi Frempong, 2023. "Do subsidies on seed and fertilizer lead to child labour? Evidence from Malawi," Development Policy Review, Overseas Development Institute, vol. 41(2), March.
    12. World Bank, 2023. "Unlocking the Potential of Women and Adolescent Girls in Madagascar - Challenges and Opportunities in Increasing Women’s and Girls’ Economic Empowerment," World Bank Publications - Reports 40430, The World Bank Group.
    13. Berber Kramer & Carly Trachtman, 2024. "Gender dynamics in seed systems: an integrative review of seed promotion interventions in Africa," Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food, Springer;The International Society for Plant Pathology, vol. 16(1), pages 19-45, February.
    14. Doss, Cheryl, 2015. "Women and Agricultural Productivity: What Does the Evidence Tell Us?," Center Discussion Papers 212153, Yale University, Economic Growth Center.
    15. Sinyolo, Sikhulumile, 2020. "Technology adoption and household food security among rural households in South Africa: The role of improved maize varieties," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 60(C).
    16. Vandercasteelen, Joachim & Dereje, Mekdim & Minten, Bart & Taffesse, Alemayehu Seyoum, 2016. "Row planting teff in Ethiopia: Impact on farm-level profitability and labor allocation," ESSP working papers 92, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    17. Makate, Clifton & Mutenje, Munyaradzi, 2021. "Discriminatory effects of gender disparities in improved seed and fertilizer use at the plot-level in Malawi and Tanzania," World Development Perspectives, Elsevier, vol. 23(C).
    18. AJEIGBE Omowumi Monisola & OLOMOLA Phillip Akanni & ADELEKE Oluwayemisi Khadijat, 2021. "Dynamics of Manufacturing Sector Development and Youth Unemployment in Africa," International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science, International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS), vol. 5(07), pages 599-606, July.
    19. Hambulo Ngoma & Henry Machina & Auckland N. Kuteya, 2021. "Can agricultural subsidies reduce gendered productivity gaps? Panel data evidence from Zambia," Development Policy Review, Overseas Development Institute, vol. 39(2), pages 303-323, March.
    20. Balezentis, Tomas & Morkunas, Mangirdas & Volkov, Artiom & Ribasauskiene, Erika & Streimikiene, Dalia, 2021. "Are women neglected in the EU agriculture? Evidence from Lithuanian young farmers," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 101(C).

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:plo:pone00:0290877. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: plosone (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/ .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.