A review of the socio-ecological and institutional contexts for youth livelihood transformation in Miesso Woreda, Eastern Ethiopia

Abstract This study was carried out as a systematic review to assess youth aspirations, the context of agroecology, and development interventions for youth livelihood transformation in the Miesso district, Ethiopia. The study found that youth make up an important part of the labor force for food and agricultural production in pastoral and agro-pastoral areas. Nonetheless, very limited attention is accorded to the youth and their occupational aspiration. The youth continue to face major socio-economic, agroecological, institutional and policy-related challenges, constraining their successful transition. The major challenges can be structured around: local customs and norms; financial; education and technical capacity; infrastructure and market; administration and policy related; and environmental. We find that the youth have varying aspirations and dreams. These aspirations are shaped by their own personal experiences, gender, local context, access to media, and role models. However, most of the aspirations remain unmet. Another major finding is that contrary to the popular narrative that portrays youth as averse to agriculture, the majority of the youth envision a future within their home country and the local area. Environmental degradation; limited access to land, and rural-urban inequalities are some of the reasons that make rural youth not pursue agricultural-based careers. General recommendations to increase youth engagement in agriculture may include infrastructural and regulatory interventions; specific training in agriculture; targeting youth in interventions as direct beneficiaries; youth-friendly credit and saving; agripreneurship training and startups; and locally adapted and gender-responsive rural finance.