Journal of Development Studies
Volume 54, Issue 5, 2018, Pages 875-894

Youth Migration and Labour Constraints in African Agrarian Households (Article)

Mueller V.* , Doss C. , Quisumbing A.
  • a International Food Policy Research Institute, School of Politics and Global Studies, Arizona State University, Tempe, United States
  • b Department of International Development, Oxford University, Oxford, United Kingdom
  • c Poverty, Health, and Nutrition Division, International Food Policy Research Institute, Washington, DC, United States

Abstract

Using panel data from Ethiopia and Malawi, we investigate how youth migration affects household labour, hired labour demand, and income, and whether these effects vary by migrant sex and destination. Labour shortages arise from the migration of a head’s child. However, the migration of the head’s sons produces a greater burden, particularly on female heads/spouses (in Ethiopia) and brothers (in Malawi). Gains from migration in the form of increased total net income justify the increased labour efforts in Ethiopia. Weaker evidence suggests households in Malawi substitute hired for migrant family labour at the expense of total household net income. © 2018 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.

Author Keywords

[No Keywords available]

Index Keywords

labor migration young population panel data female headed household labor market Ethiopia African immigrant migrant worker household income Malawi
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85042920241&doi=10.1080%2f00220388.2018.1430770&partnerID=40&md5=4f1f36e6a6664388f6fcfaf728592046
DOI: 10.1080/00220388.2018.1430770
ISSN: 00220388
Cited by: 2
Original Language: English