Free Access | June 2013

Youth Engagement in Agriculture in Uganda: Challenges and Prospects

Authors/Editors: Swaibu Mbowa (PhD) ,  Gemma Ahaibwe ,  Musa Lwanga

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 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. Land tenure issues continue to impede many youths from engaging in agriculture, with the majority of youth using land without exclusive ownership rights. The in-depth analysis results seem to suggest that the youth with at least secondary education, males (both married and ununmarried) and those youth residing in households with a large share of adults are less likely to engage in agriculture.