CRC TRR 228 Project C08
Job Futures
Livelihood effects, digital innovations, and household dynamics in Africa
C08 Job Futures
Vision
Improved understanding of job futures under diverse conditions in rural Africa with a particular focus on linkages between agricultural transformation, infrastructuring, and equitable employment.
Project Summary
Households in rural Africa typically have diversified income sources. Beyond own farm production, many also work on other farms as agricultural laborers, have formal or informal employment in other sectors, or pursue self-employed business activities. With rapidly rising population numbers, the diversification of income and employment sources will likely continue in the coming years and decades. Sufficient generation of decent employment in various rural sectors could contribute to sustainable structural transformation and development, whereas inadequate job availability could perpetuate poverty and natural resource degradation. Hence, studying employment trends and the factors that influence current and future job availability, accessibility, and quality needs to be an integral element of “future-making” research in rural Africa. C08 collects and uses survey data from Kenya, Tanzania, Namibia, and Zambia, which can lead to important insights under diverse agroecological and socioeconomic conditions. Household- and individual-level data as well as employer data are collected through structured personal interviews. Statistical models are developed and estimated to analyse people’s access to different types of employment, determinants of participation, labour conditions, and effects on income, food security, gender roles, and inequality. Employment trends and their drivers are analysed with panel data. Results contribute to a better understanding of how sustainable job futures in diverse contexts of rural Africa may look like.
<span style="color:#2B71B5; font-weight:bold"Research Regions: Kenya, Tanzania, Namibia, Zambia
Problem Statement
Rural labor markets in Africa are undergoing significant transformation as employment opportunities diversify beyond agriculture, yet this shift is not consistently translating into improved and equitable livelihood outcomes. While new forms of work and income generation are emerging, access to meaningful and rewarding employment remains constrained by structural inequalities, including disparities in gender, age, and access to resources and infrastructure. At the same time, the implications of these changing labor dynamics for poverty reduction, food security, and overall well-being are not fully understood, particularly at the level of individuals within households. This lack of clarity limits the ability of policymakers and development practitioners to design interventions that effectively support inclusive and sustainable livelihood improvements. A deeper understanding of how people navigate evolving work opportunities, and how these choices interact with broader social and economic conditions, is therefore needed.
Key Questions for 3rd Phase
- What are the effects of different types of jobs on key socioeconomic outcomes at the individual, household, and village level?
- What factors influence job satisfaction, and how is job satisfaction linked to people’s well-being?
- Do digital financial tools enhance the use of off-farm income for future-oriented farming activities?
- How are people’s decisions about work and skills acquisition shaped by their vision for the future through aspirations, expectations, hopes, and worries?
Methods
Quantitative analysis utilizing Z03 household survey from five countries, complementary qualitative approaches for some research questions
Key Findings from Phase II
In phase II, we examined structural shifts in rural employment across sub-Saharan Africa. Using household and employer data from Kenya, Namibia, Tanzania and Zambia, we show that off-farm work, especially self-employment, now accounts for a large share of rural incomes. Yet, decent wage jobs remain limited and labor conditions can be highly sector-dependent. We also show that access to electricity, particularly through off-grid systems, significantly enhances women’s labour market participation. At the same time, we also find that rural labour markets can be quite vulnerable to environmental shocks such as droughts. These findings point to the need for integrated rural development strategies that combine infrastructure investment, creation of decent jobs, and climate resilience.
Cooperation within the CRC
C08 analyses jobs and labour as key to rural livelihoods in Africa, complementing A04’s ethnographic work. We collaborate with B01 on aspirations, education, and well-being, and with C01 to develop context-specific job satisfaction frameworks. Our research on digital financial services links with C02 and B06 to assess relevance and impacts. We also explore employment and job quality in geothermal and water projects with C02 and C03.
Findings will support policy dialogue via B03, B05, and B06, and inform public outreach with Z05. C08 doctoral researchers will contribute to household surveys in Z03.
Publications
Babatunde, R.O., Qaim, M., 2010. Impact of off-farm income on food security and nutrition in Nigeria. Food Policy 35: 303-311.
Chrisendo, D., Krishna, V.V., Siregar, H., Qaim, M., 2020. Land-use change, nutrition, and gender roles in Indonesian farm households. Forest Policy and Economics 118: 102245.
Daum, T., Baudron, F., Birner, R., Qaim, M., Grass, I. 2023. Addressing agricultural labour issues is key to biodiversity-smart farming. Biological Conservation, 284, 110165.
Debela, B.L., Gehrke, E., Qaim, M., 2021. Links between maternal employment and child nutrition in rural Tanzania. American Journal of Agricultural Economics 103: 812-830.
Ezebuihe, J.A., Parlasca, M., Qaim, M. 2024. Links between rural electrification and gendered off-farm employment in sub-Saharan Africa. ZEF Discussion Papers on Development Policy, 356, University of Bonn.
Guthoff, J., Mutsami, C., Parlasca, M., Heckelei, T., Qaim, M. 2024. Aspirations and livelihood diversification in rural Africa. ZEF Discussion Papers on Development Policy, 357, University of Bonn.
Guthoff, J., Parlasca, M., Qaim, M. 2026. Seasonality of employment and food security in rural sub-Saharan Africa, Food Policy,
Volume 141, 2026, DOI
Jäckering, L., Meemken, E.M., Sellare, J., Qaim, M., 2021. Promoting written employment contracts: Evidence from a randomized awareness campaign. European Review of Agricultural Economics48: 1007-1030.
Meemken, E.M., Barrett, C.B., Michelson, H.C., Qaim, M., Reardon, T., Sellare, J., 2021. Sustainability standards in global agrifood supply chains. Nature Food 2: 758-765.
Meemken, E.M., Sellare, J., Kouame, C., Qaim, M., 2019. Effects of Fairtrade on the livelihoods of poor rural workers. Nature Sustainability 2: 635-642.
Mehraban, N., Kubitza, C., Alamsyah, Z., Qaim, M., 2021. Oil palm cultivation, household welfare, and exposure to economic risk in the Indonesian small farm sector. Journal of Agricultural Economics 72: 901-915.
Musungu, A. L., Kubik, Z., Qaim, M. 2024. Drought shocks and labour reallocation in rural Africa: evidence from Ethiopia. European Review of Agricultural Economics, 51, 1045-1068.
Mutsami, C., Parlasca, M. C., Qaim, M. 2026. Women’s Off-Farm Employment and Dietary Quality in Rural Africa. Journal of Agricultural Economics 1–16. DOI
Mutsami, C., Parlasca, M., Qaim, M. 2025. Evolving Farm and Off-Farm Income Sources and Jobs in Rural Africa. Journal of International Development 37, no. 6: 1367–1380. DOI
Mutsami, C., Parlasca, M., Qaim, M. 2024. The evolving role of farm and off-farm jobs in rural Africa. ZEF Discussion Papers on Development Policy, 348, University of Bonn.
Nguyen, TT., Qaim, M. 2025. Local and regional food production diversity are positively associated with household dietary diversity in rural Africa. Nature Food (2025). DOI
Nzira J. E., Parlasca, M.C, Qaim, M. 2025. An inquiry into labor conditions across key rural sectors in Africa. PLOS ONE 20(12): e0338694. DOI
Nzira, J. E., Parlasca, M., Qaim, M. 2025. An inquiry into labor conditions across key rural sectors in Africa. ZEF-Discussion Papers on Development Policy, 358, University of Bonn
Parlasca, M. C., Martini, C. A., Köster, M., & Ibañez, M. 2024. Aspirations and weather shocks: Evidence from rural Zambia. Agricultural Economics, 1–15. DOI
Rao, E.J.O., Qaim, M., 2013. Supermarkets and agricultural labor demand in Kenya: A gendered perspective. Food Policy 38: 165-176.
Ruml, A., Qaim, M., 2021. New evidence regarding the effects of contract farming on agricultural labor use. Agricultural Economics 52: 51-66.
Subramanian, A., Qaim, M., 2010. The impact of Bt cotton on poor households in rural India. Journal of Development Studies 46: 295-311.
Project News
New Publication: Off-Farm Work Helps Reduce Seasonal Food Insecurity in Rural Sub-Saharan Africa
Women’s Off-Farm Employment Leads to Increased Dietary Quality in Rural Africa
Beyond Farming: New Evidence Reveals Poor Pay and Precarious Work in Rural Africa
Rural Livelihoods: Off-Farm Income Now Drives Majority of Household Earnings in Africa
