Rural youth poverty alleviation in the Zambezi Region: problems and possibilities

Abstract

The objectives of the study were to analyse rural youth poverty alleviation in the Zambezi Region, problems, and possibilities in order to determine how rural youth agricultural and non-agricultural livelihood activities have improved their livelihood and alleviated poverty. The Sustainable Livelihoods Framework has helped the researcher to understand and explain rural youth poverty alleviation, problems, and possibilities in the study area. The study employed a mixed-method approach, with more emphasis on qualitative research. The study had a total size sample of 223, respondents, including focus group discussions. The findings indicate that no livelihood analysis was carried out for rural youth in agriculture and non-agricultural activities in the Zambezi Region. For this reason, agricultural and non-agricultural programmes and projects have not addressed rural youth poverty alleviation. The findings also show that rural youth in agriculture and non-agricultural activities are exposed to numerous factors affecting their livelihood, as most of them cannot efficiently affect the vulnerability context. Furthermore, rural youth depends on their families and friends for livelihood support since they lack access to most livelihood assets. Despite livelihood improvement, rural youth faces problems that impede poverty alleviation in both agriculture and non-agricultural livelihood activities; lack of participation in policy deliberations, access to markets, Information Communication Technologies, training in both agriculture and non-agricultural activities, limited access to financial services and limited access to land. The study demonstrates that successful agricultural and non-agricultural programmes need to take rural youth sincerely to influence rural youth poverty alleviation. It is hoped that this study will contribute to the limited literature on rural youth poverty alleviation and also provide a rural youth critique in agriculture and non-agricultural activities in Namibia.