Journal of
Agricultural Extension and Rural Development

  • Abbreviation: J. Agric. Ext. Rural Dev
  • Language: English
  • ISSN: 2141-2170
  • DOI: 10.5897/JAERD
  • Start Year: 2009
  • Published Articles: 490

Full Length Research Paper

Employment Prospects for Agricultural Graduates in Guinea Conakry

Ismail Ouraich
  • Ismail Ouraich
  • Economics Unit, Department of Economics, Technology and Society, Lulea, Sweden.
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Jess Lowenberg-Deboer
  • Jess Lowenberg-Deboer
  • Professor, Department of Agricultural Economics, Purdue University, West Lafayette, USA
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Alseny Soumah
  • Alseny Soumah
  • Independent Consultant, Coyah, Guinea.
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Diawo Diallo
  • Diawo Diallo
  • Ministry of Employment, Technical Training and Professional Education, Conakry, Guinea.
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  •  Received: 29 July 2016
  •  Accepted: 22 November 2016
  •  Published: 31 January 2017

Abstract

Unemployment of graduates is a challenging problem in Africa, and it is aggravated by many factors such as population growth, mismatch between curriculum and employer needs, and lack of evidence-based policy making. In this context, the objectives of the present study are twofold. First, the aim is to identify key characteristics influencing labor market participation of graduates from agricultural higher education in Guinea. Second, the aim is to identify agricultural labor market needs in terms of skills and profiles desired by employers. Telephone surveys were administered to recent graduates from the main agricultural higher education institutions. The major findings from the analysis suggest that about one third of Guinean agricultural university graduates in the 2008-2013 period were employed in the formal sector in 2013-2014. Employment rates are lower for the technical schools. In terms of job creation prospects, key employers expect a doubling of hiring for positions requiring technical school or university training. Most of the projected growth is expected in the private sector. The results indicate that male graduates have a 7% higher probability of being employed as compared to female graduates in the aggregate analysis.

 

Key words: Youth, gender, employment, university, graduates, technical schools, labor market.