Publication
Title
Rural underemployment and urbanization : insights from a nine year household panel survey from Malawi
Author
Abstract
Rural labor markets in Africa are frequently characterized by underemployment, with farmers unable to fully deploy throughout the year one of their most important assets—their labor. Using a nine-year panel data set on 1,407 working-age adults from rural Malawi, we document changes in rural underemployment over this period and how they are associated with urbanization. Nearby urban growth results in increased hours worked in casual labor (ganyu) and in non-agricultural sectors, at the expense of work on the household farm. Improved urban access is also associated with a small increase in wage labor and, at the intensive margin, with hours supplied in household enterprises. We draw lessons from these results for policies, investments, and interventions to leverage urban growth for rural development.
Language
English
Source (series)
MaSSP working paper ; 43
Publication
Washington, D.C. : International Food Policy Research Institute , 2023
DOI
10.2499/P15738COLL2.136900
Volume/pages
54 p.
Full text (Publisher's DOI)
Full text (open access)
UAntwerpen
Faculty/Department
Research group
Publication type
Subject
Affiliation
Publications with a UAntwerp address
External links
Record
Identifier
Creation 28.02.2024
Last edited 29.02.2024
To cite this reference