Access to quality inputs is critical to boosting agricultural productivity. However, quantitative research (Tjernström et al 2017; Bold et al 2017; Ashour et al 2019) and news reports (Muchiri 2019; Okinda 2019) find that the quality of agricultural inputs—such as seeds, fertilizer, and pesticides–is often low in rural African markets. The inability of buyers to…
Agriculture
Seasonal Migration and Agricultural Labor Markets in Nepal
In rural agrarian economies, the period between planting and harvest is often a “lean season” when labor demand and wages fall, and the price of staples rise. The landless poor reliant on agricultural work on others’ farms are especially hard hit, and many millions of laborers and their families worldwide suffer from seasonal hunger. This…
Relaxing Seasonal Constraints to Improve Labor Productivity
Despite increased investment and international competition in agriculture, small-scale farming continues to be the most common economic activity in many developing countries. In Zambia, 60% of the population lives in rural areas, where 78% of the population were employed in agriculture in 2012 (Zambia Labor Force Survey, 2012). Rainfall patterns in Zambia allow for only…
Advancing Data Capacity for Policy Innovation in Sudan
The objective of the Sudan Labor Market Panel Survey (SLMPS) 2019 is to facilitate better understandings of labor market dynamics and outcomes in Sudan. Our goal with the SLMPS 2019 is to collect high-quality and reliable data sufficient for indepth, multi-dimensional analyses of economic and labor market issues in Sudan. The need for high quality…
Labour Migration and Structural Change in Rural Labour Markets
The project consists of two parts. Transitions out of agriculture and into other sectors of the economy are a necessary part of economic development. In Africa, some of the traditional routes out of agriculture- through domestic industrial revolution, a “green revolution” in the agricultural sector, or trade reforms that stimulate industrial growth- have not typically…
Food Constraints and “Ganyu” Labour
Small-scale farming continues to be the principal source of employment and income for a majority of the population in low income countries. Zambia is no exception: in 2008, 80% of employment was in agriculture. Even though Zambia has recently been re- classified as lower middle income country primarily due to its large copper and cobalt…
Public Works Programs and Farm Household Behaviour
Public Works Programs (PWPs) are important tools for social protection. There are 167 PWPs in 29 sub-Saharan Africa. There are short term and long term PWPs. Short term PWPs can stabilise consumption in response to individual or aggregate shocks. Long term programs, on the other hand, are forms of insurance. However, there is little evidence…
Measuring Labour in Farm Households in Africa
In low-income countries, work in household owned and managed farms account for a large share of the labour force. Yet, to date, there is very little research on the approaches to measuring farm labour. Typically most measurements of farm labour involve a cumulative number representing a wide range of activities. For example, male labour is…