The Ugandan youth labour market transition and agriculture productivity research project is being undertaken within the framework of a postgraduate study programme at the University of Groningen in the Netherlands.

The PhD research is aimed at an in-depth examination of personal and contextual influences on young people’s education and employment choices in respect to agriculture.  Connectedly, the study also aims at exploring how agriculture-based employment interventions can optimize young people’s labour market transition into the sector across its rich value chain.

 

THE ISSUES AND CONCERNS

Agriculture constitutes the biggest part of the global market but its capacity to produce enough food and to create more jobs is under threat in many countries including Uganda (The World Bank, 2016; ILO, 2015). A World Bank supported study reveals that worldwide 800 million people go to bed without a meal. Uganda’s share of the word’s starved and / or undernourished human beings is often statistically under represented but over 25% of its 34.6 million people (FAO/UN, 2016; UBoS, 2016).

Limited youth labour market transition is making such global headlines as youth employment crisis (2012). More than 40% of the world’s youth are reported to be either unemployed or have a job but live in poverty (ILO, 2016). In Uganda, young people make up close to 70% of the country’s unemployed persons (ILO / Uganda Bureau of Statistics, 2013). They largely belong to the 70% households where agriculture is a mainstay of livelihoods (UBoS, 2016).

Increased youth participation in Uganda is naturally believed to yield labour market outcome and food security benefits. But young people are less keen to plunge their learning and work life in agriculture. Current evidence and assumptions about why fewer young people are making agriculture -based education and employment choices need to be enriched. This research enterprise is a contribution to building the required knowledge base to inform practice, theory and research.

THE RESEARCH DESIGN

A qualitative case study approach will be bolstered by an action-research orientation in a complementary stance. Case study is one of the most treasured qualitative methods in yielding rich, complex and contextual evidence. As Yin (2009) puts it, case study is “an empirical inquiry that investigates a contemporary phenomenon in depth and within its real-life context…” (p.18).

The case study’s versatility permits the complementary nature of action research (Rule and Vaughn, 2011). As argued by Kurt Lewin, one of its pioneering scholars, action research is as a pragmatic method useful in avoiding the separation of investigations from the action needed to solve the problem (Levin & Greenwood, 2005; Clem, 1993).

The case study’s versatility permits the complementary nature of action research (Rule and Vaughn, 2011). As argued by Kurt Lewin, one of its pioneering scholars, action research is as a pragmatic method useful in avoiding the separation of investigations from the action needed to solve the problem (Levin & Greenwood, 2005; Clem, 1993).

THE RESEARCH STREAMS

The research project is organized under three streams namely, (i) overview & general background study, (ii) experiences and perceptions of young people, and (iii) participatory reflection, learning and action at selected case study Agricultural  Education and Training Institutes (ETIs).

INTERMEDIATE PARTICIPATION BENEFITS

Taking part in this research is designed to be a mutually beneficial experience for everyone on board. Decision makers and programme implementers in youth employment interventions will gain an objective and deeper sense of what actually happens not only at the macro and meso levels but the micro reality too.  Policy makers and educators  in tertiary Agricultural ETIs will simultaneously reflect and improve their governance and pedagogical practices in a flexible learning, reflection and action – praxis- mode (Bradbury, 2015). Within the research empowerment process, participating young people will feel, develop and deploy their worth and capabilities to drive desired career paths.

THE APPEAL FOR PARTNERSHIP

The research project is within the framework of a post graduate study programme at the University of Groningen in the Netherlands effective February 2016. The researcher, Robert Jjuuko,  is  interested in working with individuals and organizations with a passion for youth education & employment, and those with a demonstrable practical interest in agriculture productivity more so with a focus on young people’s participation.

Robert Jjuuko is a PhD Candidate at the Globalisation Studies Groningen (GSG), University of Groningen in the Netherlands. He is a Ugandan adult educator with more than 15 years of experience in the theory and practice of education and training for youths and adults. He is author of a monograph titled Developing vocational skills of youths with incomplete schooling – a case study of private provision in Uganda https://www.amazon.com/Developing-vocational-skills-incomplete-schooling/dp/3659131644. Please contact him at robert@adultslearnuganda.org or r.jjuuko@rug.nl

REFERENCES

Bradbury, H. (ed.). (2015). The SAGE handbook of action research (3rd edition). London. Sage Publications Ltd

Clem, A. (1993) Kurt Lewin and the Origins of Action Research. Educational Action Research . Volume 1, No.1, 1993

Cohen, L. Manion, L. & Morrison, K. (2007). Research methods in education (6th ed.). London: Routledge

Food and agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (2016).  The State of Food Insecurity in the World 2015. Retrieved 15 Jul 2016 at http://www.fao.org/hunger/en/

International Bank for Reconstruction and Development/The World Bank (2016). Enabling the business of agriculture 2016: comparing regulatory good practices. Washington DC. The World Bank

International labour organization (2016). Youth employment. Retrieved 14 Jul 2016 at http://www.ilo.org/global/topics/youth-employment/lang–en/index.htm

International labour organization (2015). Global Employment Trends for Youth 2015: Scaling up investments in decent jobs for youth . Geneva. International Labour Office

International labour organization / Uganda Bureau of Statistics (2013). The national labour force and child activities survey 2011/12 child labour report. Kampala. Uganda Bureau of Statistics.

International labour organization (2012). The youth employment crisis: Time for action. Geneva.

International Labour Office Food and agricultural organization of the United Nations (2016). The State of Food Insecurity in the World 2015. Retrieved 14 Jul 2016 at http://www.fao.org/hunger/en/

Maree, K. (ed.). (2007) First steps in research. Pretoria: Van Schaik Publishers

Levin, M & Greenwood, D (2005) Pragmatic action research and the struggle to transform universities into learning

communities: In Reason, P. & Bradbury, H. (eds). Action research: participative inquiry and practice (2nd ed). London. Sage Publications Ltd

Rule, P. & John, V. (2011). Your guide to case study research. Pretoria. Van Schaik Publishers.

Uganda Bureau of Statistics (2016). The National Population and Housing Census 2014 – Main Report.  Kampala. Uganda Bureau of Statistics

Yin, R.K. (2009). Case study research: Design and methods. (4th ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Inc.