An emerging orthodoxy suggests that agriculture is the key to addressing the youth employment challenge in Africa. The analysis that informs this orthodoxy identifies a number of persistent barriers to increased productivity; and the programmes that work to get young people engaged with agriculture make assumptions about the young people's interests and behaviours. In this paper we report results from a study with secondary students in Ghana using Q Methodology. The objective was to determine to what degree the students' perspectives were aligned with the main tenants of the emerging orthodoxy. Results show that different perspectives on the two questions (What explains young people's attitude toward farming? What should be done about young people and farming?) can be identified. There are a number of points of convergence between the students' perspectives and the new orthodoxy. However, two important points of divergence were also identified, and the impications of these are discussed.
While studies have drawn attention to the operationalization, and implementation challenges associated with the ECOWAS free movement protocol, our understanding of how different categories of migrants experience the protocol is far more limited. Drawing on data from interviews conducted with 23 ECOWAS migrants living or travelling to Ghana, immigration officials and a trade union representative, this paper examines the diversity of experiences of ECOWAS migrants in relation to the free movement protocol. The findings suggest that the experiences of ECOWAS nationals in areas such as awareness and knowledge of provisions in the protocol, border crossing, processes of acquiring residence and work permits and renewing permits, and rights of establishment differ remarkably by dimensions of social difference. The gender, social class and nationality of migrants are fundamental and shape the experiences of ECOWAS migrants in divergent ways. These findings have important implication for policies seeking to promote free movement in West Africa.
This paper synthesises the available literature on the forms, prevalence and drivers of children’s work, and evidence of harm associated with children’s work in shallot production on the Keta Peninsula, Ghana. What emerges is that children have historically played, and continue to play, a key role in this horticultural system and their work contribution is structured by both age and gender. Desires to support parents and earn income drive children’s involvement, and children’s work has potential negative effects on their education.
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