Masters Thesis
Agribusiness has been recognized to provide employment opportunities for youth in
Malawi. However, little is known on factors that drive urban and peri-urban youth into
agribusiness employment. This study examined the determinants of urban and peri-urban
youth employment in agribusiness in Malawi. A cross-sectional study design was adopted.
Sample size was 9680 youth for quantitative data while a sample of 135 for qualitative
data. Quantitative data was obtained from nationally representative Living Standards
Measurement Surveys - Integrated Household Survey (LSMS- IHS) data for Malawi and
Regression analysis was used with the aid of STATA 14.0. Qualitative data was generated
from focus group discussions and key informant interviews and the data was analysed
using thematic analysis. The study found that 44.5% of youth were employed in
agribusiness with 35.7% of them working in farming. Furthermore, the study found that
age, access to credit, extension services and livestock ownership positively and
significantly influenced youth employment in agribusiness (p < 0.05). Whereas, marital
status, education level, household size, dependency ratio, wealth, and distance to the
market negatively and significantly influenced youth employment in agribusiness (p <
0.01 and p < 0.05). However, in the multinomial logit factors that influence youth
employment into specific agribusiness categories vary. Thematic analysis confirm that the
above factors influence youth to be in agribusiness. Moreover, findings revealed that
despite opportunities in agribusiness, youth face challenges such as lack of access to
credit, extension services, limited agribusiness education (training), lack of improved
agricultural inputs and lack of access to land and markets among other things.
Furthermore, results from Ordinary Least Square (Multiple Linear) Regression found a
negative significant relationship between being employed in farming and per capita
consumption expenditure at p < 0.01. Whereas, there was a positive significant
relationship between being employed in a mix of farming and non-agricultural business as
well as being employed in off-farm agricultural activities with per capita consumption
expenditure at p < 0.01. Generally, it can be concluded that youth employment in
agribusiness is influenced more by push factors, which highlights the lack of government
investment and support towards youth in agribusiness and the sector itself. The study
recommends that implementation of policy pathways should be potentially geared
towards improving access to credit, agricultural extension services, and education in
agribusiness, improved agricultural inputs, land and markets among other things. This
will promote youth employment in agribusiness and thus, improve well-being of youth.
Prof. Mark Mwandosya