topics

Working Group 1.5
Diversification out of agriculture: the role of migration and off-farm employment

English and French with interpretation

Resource persons

Moderator

Monique Calon (Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs)

Questions to guide working group discussions

What do we know about migration patterns in Africa? Consider rural-urban migration, reverse migration, seasonal migration, international migration etc? Who migrates? Poor or non-poor? Gender patterns? Age profile?
What are the consequences for sending communities, both positive and negative? Consider, for example, the effect on rural wages, labour scarcity in rural areas, remittances, impact on gender, family, social ties etc.
What is the impact of remittances? Who receives them, what are they used for? What is their role in investment and insurance strategies? How easy is it to remit funds to rural communities?
What is the link between rural development in Africa and international migration?
Is outmigration an important route out of poverty? What can be done to equip migrants with new skills?
What do we know about patterns and impacts of off-farm employment in rural Africa? Who is employed? Poor or non-poor? Gender patterns? Age and skills profile? Comparisons with other parts of the world, notably Asia; what explains the differences?
To what extent is off-farm employment an important route out of poverty? What is the effect of off-farm employment on rural poverty and agricultural wages?
What can be done to encourage labour mobility and equip rural people with the skills to enter the off-farm sector? Where is it necessary to encourage exit strategies out of agriculture?
What are the implications for development strategies, and what do donors need to do differently?
What do we know about patterns and impacts of off-farm employment in rural Africa? Who is employed? Poor or non-poor? Gender patterns? Age and skills profile? Comparisons with other parts of the world, notably Asia; what explains the differences?
To what extent is off-farm employment an important route out of poverty? What is the effect of off-farm employment on rural poverty and agricultural wages?
What can be done to encourage labour mobility and equip rural people with the skills to enter the off-farm sector? Where is it necessary to encourage exit strategies out of agriculture?
What are the implications for development strategies, and what do donors need to do differently?

These questions illustrate the range of issues that could be addressed by the working groups. While they should not be considered to be the only issues that may be discussed, and participants are at liberty to raise others that fall within the scope of the working groups, presenters are asked to consider giving priority to some of these questions.

Please note that all working groups are asked to consider: What are the implications for development strategies, and what do donors need to do differently?

partners: European Commission. Directorate General Development and Relations with African, Caribbean and Pacific States | Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations | Global Donor Platform for Rural Development | Department for International Development (DFID), UK | Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), Germany | Irish Aid, Department of Foreign Affairs, Ireland | Ministry of Foreign Affairs, France | Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs/Development Cooperation, The Netherlands | Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), Switzerland | Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation ACP-EU (CTA) | Deutsche Gesellschaft für technische Zusammenarbeit (GTZ) GmbH, Germany | InWEnt Capacity - Building International, Germany