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Gambling with Liberalization: Smallholder Livelihoods in Contemporary Rural Malawi

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  • Takane, Tsutomu

Abstract

This paper examines the livelihoods of smallholder households in Malawi based on information derived from six villages in various parts of the country. Through detailed analysis of own-farm production and off-farm economic activities, the study explores similarities, diversities, and disparities in rural livelihoods. Liberalization policies and the high risk of crop failure have produced large disparities between those who achieve high income from own-farm production and those who do not. Off-farm income can help to reduce the risk of own-farm production, but is also a source of income disparity and provides little opportunity for upward economic mobility to escape poverty.

Suggested Citation

  • Takane, Tsutomu, 2007. "Gambling with Liberalization: Smallholder Livelihoods in Contemporary Rural Malawi," IDE Discussion Papers 117, Institute of Developing Economies, Japan External Trade Organization(JETRO).
    • Handle: RePEc:jet:dpaper:dpaper117
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Gladwin, Christina H. & Thomson, Anne M. & Peterson, Jennifer S. & Anderson, Andrea S., 2001. "Addressing food security in Africa via multiple livelihood strategies of women farmers," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 26(2), pages 177-207, April.
    2. Reardon, Thomas, 1997. "Using evidence of household income diversification to inform study of the rural nonfarm labor market in Africa," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 25(5), pages 735-747, May.
    3. Kydd, Jonathan & Christiansen, Robert, 1982. "Structural change in Malawi since independence: Consequences of a development strategy based on large-scale agriculture," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 10(5), pages 355-375, May.
    4. World Bank, 2006. "World Development Indicators 2006," World Bank Publications - Books, The World Bank Group, number 8151.
    5. Hazarika, Gautam & Alwang, Jeffrey, 2003. "Access to credit, plot size and cost inefficiency among smallholder tobacco cultivators in Malawi," Agricultural Economics, Blackwell, vol. 29(1), pages 99-109, July.
    6. Barrett, Christopher B. & Bezuneh, Mesfin & Clay, Daniel C. & Reardon, Thomas, 2001. "Heterogeneous Constraints, Incentives And Income Diversification Strategies In Rural Africa," Working Papers 14761, Cornell University, Department of Applied Economics and Management.
    7. Zeller, Manfred & Diagne, Aliou & Mataya, Charles, 1997. "Market access by smallholder farmers in Malawi," FCND discussion papers 35, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    8. Zeller, Manfred & Diagne, Aliou & Mataya, Charles, 1998. "Market access by smallholder farmers in Malawi: implications for technology adoption, agricultural productivity and crop income," Agricultural Economics, Blackwell, vol. 19(1-2), pages 219-229, September.
    9. Manfred Zeller & Aliou Diagne & Charles Mataya, 1998. "Market access by smallholder farmers in Malawi: implications for technology adoption, agricultural productivity and crop income," Agricultural Economics, International Association of Agricultural Economists, vol. 19(1-2), pages 219-229, September.
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    Cited by:

    1. Droppelmann, Klaus & Makuwira, Jonathan & Kumwenda, Ian, 2012. "All eggs in one basket : A reflection on Malawi’s dependence on agricultural growth strategy," IFPRI discussion papers 1177, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    2. Mendola, Mariapia & Simtowe, Franklin, 2015. "The Welfare Impact of Land Redistribution: Evidence from a Quasi-Experimental Initiative in Malawi," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 72(C), pages 53-69.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Livelihoods; Rural development; Agriculture; Nonfarm income; Malawi; Africa; Household; Income; 生計; 農村開発; 農業; 非農業所得; マラウィ; アフリカ; 家計; 所得;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • Q12 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Agriculture - - - Micro Analysis of Farm Firms, Farm Households, and Farm Input Markets

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