Research Series Issue 47: Landscapes of rural youth opportunity

This study is motivated by the consistent portrayal of agriculture and the broader rural economy in Africa as domains of opportunity for rural youth.

It presents a new conceptualization of landscapes of rural youth opportunity, where these landscapes reflect an individual’s reading of the complex interplay between a number of disciplines, aspirations and preferences.

The argument in this study is that it is essential to acknowledge the importance of opportunity structures and avoid anything that suggests that individual characteristics, such as aspirations, skills, entrepreneurial behaviour and “good choices” should be the primary considerations in relation to an “investing in youth” strategy.