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Agricultural Policy, Employment Opportunities and Social Mobility in Rural Malawi

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  • Blessings Chinsinga
  • Michael Chasukwa

Abstract

Despite the youth accounting for more than half of the population of Malawi, they have been marginalized and pushed to the periphery of several development policy interventions. This article interrogates the question of how the youth and policy-makers view agricultural development as a means of social mobility for youth in Malawi. The paper argues that even though agricultural production is the main occupation in Malawi, young people do not value agriculture as a means of upward social mobility. Furthermore, youth and agriculture policy frameworks provide little support to youth in terms of access to affordable farm inputs, land, extension services, value addition initiatives, and markets. It is argued that Malawi is missing the strategic policy direction by not implementing non-traditional agriculture interventions that would engage the youth in a bid to reduce massive youth unemployment.

Suggested Citation

  • Blessings Chinsinga & Michael Chasukwa, 2018. "Agricultural Policy, Employment Opportunities and Social Mobility in Rural Malawi," Agrarian South: Journal of Political Economy, Centre for Agrarian Research and Education for South, vol. 7(1), pages 28-50, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:agspub:v:7:y:2018:i:1:p:28-50
    DOI: 10.1177/2277976018758077
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Sumberg, James & Anyidoho, Nana Akua & Chasukwa, Michael & Chinsinga, Blessings & Leavy, Jennifer, 2014. "Young people, agriculture, and employment in rural Africa," WIDER Working Paper Series 080, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    2. Blessings Chinsinga & Michael Chasukwa, 2012. "Youth, Agriculture and Land Grabs in Malawi," IDS Bulletin, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 43(6), pages 67-77, November.
    3. James Sumberg & Nana Akua Anyidoho & Jennifer Leavy & Dolf J.H. te Lintelo & Kate Wellard, 2012. "Introduction: The Young People and Agriculture ‘Problem’ in Africa," IDS Bulletin, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 43(6), pages 1-8, November.
    4. Ben White, 2012. "Agriculture and the Generation Problem: Rural Youth, Employment and the Future of Farming," IDS Bulletin, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 43(6), pages 9-19, November.
    5. James Sumberg & Nana Akua Anyidoho & Michael Chasukwa & Blessings Chinsinga & Jennifer Leavy & Getnet Tadele & Stephen Whitfield & Joseph Yaro, 2014. "Young People, Agriculture, and Employment in Rural Africa," WIDER Working Paper Series wp-2014-080, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
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    Cited by:

    1. Karim Panahi & Monireh Dizaji & Arash Ketabforoush Badri, 2018. "The Role of the Agricultural Sector in Achieving Economic Development," Noble International Journal of Economics and Financial Research, Noble Academic Publsiher, vol. 3(11), pages 124-132, November.

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