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Youth Engagement in Agriculture in Uganda: Challenges and Prospects

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  • Ahaibwe, Gemma
  • Mbowa, Swaibu
  • Lwanga, Musa Mayanja

Abstract

The Ugandan population is to a large extent comprised of a high and increasing cohort of young people, close to 78 percent of the population is below the age of thirty. Evidence reveals that youth engagement in agriculture is declining amidst rising youth unemployment yet the services and industrial sectors despite growing at considerably faster rates have not created enough jobs for the burgeoning youthful labour force. This may have implications on food security, unemployment, and underemployment and may undermine the government efforts to drive economic growth through agriculture. Using data from the Uganda National Panel Survey data of 2005/6 and 2009/10, we examine youth employment dynamics across the different sectors and further provide insights into the determinants of youth participation in agriculture. Using the Uganda Census of Agriculture 2008/09, we further document the challenges and constraints inherent to the youth in agricultural production relative to adults. The findings reveal that youthful farmers are concentrated more in agricultural production. Furthermore, a relatively lower percentage of youth use improved inputs (such as improved seeds, fertilizers, agricultural chemicals and veterinary drugs). With this poor rate of adoption of appropriate inputs, productivity is likely to remain low and constrain the youth to subsistence farming. Furthermore, the youth are disenfranchised in the ownership and management of critical assets in agricultural production, especially land. Land tenure issues continue to impede many youths from engaging in agriculture, with the majority of youth using land without exclusive ownership rights. In addition, the results point to the fact that the youth are less likely to access credit, extension services and social capital (farmer group membership), all key factors in agricultural transformation. The in-depth analysis results seem to suggest that the youth with at least secondary education, males (both married and unmarried) and those youth residing in households with a large share of adults are less likely to engage in agriculture.

Suggested Citation

  • Ahaibwe, Gemma & Mbowa, Swaibu & Lwanga, Musa Mayanja, 2013. "Youth Engagement in Agriculture in Uganda: Challenges and Prospects," Research Series 159673, Economic Policy Research Centre (EPRC).
    • Handle: RePEc:ags:eprcrs:159673
    DOI: 10.22004/ag.econ.159673
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    2. Pracht, Wyatt & Ricker-Gilbert, Jacob, 2022. "Building Sustainable Supply Chains: A Model of Youth Input Resellers in Kenya," 2022 Annual Meeting, July 31-August 2, Anaheim, California 322141, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    3. Catherine Komugisha Tindiwensi & Eunice Kabahinda & Fiona Aikiriza & Sylvia Aarakit, 2023. "Entrepreneurial passion and entrepreneurial farming among youth agripreneurs in Uganda," SN Business & Economics, Springer, vol. 3(7), pages 1-23, July.
    4. 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.
    5. Lakuma, Corti Paul & Sserunjogi, Brian, 2018. "The Value Added Tax (VAT) analysis for Uganda," Research Series 280622, Economic Policy Research Centre (EPRC).
    6. Jackson Bunyangha & Agnes. W. N. Muthumbi & Anthony Egeru & Robert Asiimwe & Dunston W. Ulwodi & Nathan. N. Gichuki & Mwanjalolo. J. G. Majaliwa, 2022. "Preferred Attributes for Sustainable Wetland Management in Mpologoma Catchment, Uganda: A Discrete Choice Experiment," Land, MDPI, vol. 11(7), pages 1-18, June.
    7. Akilimali Ndatabaye Ephrem & Paul Martin Dontsop Nguezet & McEdward Murimbika & Zoumana Bamba & Victor Manyong, 2021. "Perceived Social Norms and Agripreneurial Intention among Youths in Eastern DRC," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(6), pages 1-21, March.
    8. Johannes I. F. Henning & Nicolette Matthews & Moatlhodi August & Primrose Madende, 2022. "Youths’ Perceptions and Aspiration towards Participating in the Agricultural Sector: A South African Case Study," Social Sciences, MDPI, vol. 11(5), pages 1-21, May.

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