Gambling with Liberalization: Smallholder Livelihoods in Contemporary Rural Malawi

Takane Tsutomu

No 117, IDE Discussion Papers from Institute of Developing Economies, Japan External Trade Organization(JETRO)

Abstract: This paper examines the livelihoods of smallholder households in Malawi based on information derived from six villages in various parts of the country. Through detailed analysis of own-farm production and off-farm economic activities, the study explores similarities, diversities, and disparities in rural livelihoods. Liberalization policies and the high risk of crop failure have produced large disparities between those who achieve high income from own-farm production and those who do not. Off-farm income can help to reduce the risk of own-farm production, but is also a source of income disparity and provides little opportunity for upward economic mobility to escape poverty.

Keywords: Livelihoods; Rural development; Agriculture; Nonfarm income; Malawi; Africa; Household; Income; 生計; 農村開発; 農業; 非農業所得; マラウィ; アフリカ; 家計; 所得 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q12 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2007-08-01
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-afr, nep-agr and nep-dev
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (4)

Published in IDE Discussion Paper = IDE Discussion Paper, No. 117. 2007-08-01

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