Perspectives on jobs and farming: findings from a Q study with young people, parents and development workers in rural Ghana

Abstract

This working paper explores how rural young people, their parents and development professionals in Ghana understand work and agriculture. Using Q Methodology, the study compares perspectives from secondary school students and parents in the Ashanti and Northern Regions with those of development officials. The research examines what participants consider a desirable job, what makes work attractive, why young people may hold particular attitudes toward farming, why policymakers should be concerned about young people’s relationship with agriculture, and what kinds of interventions might be appropriate. The findings highlight both areas of agreement and important differences between young people, parents and development professionals. The study argues that these differences matter because policies can fail when the assumptions of policymakers do not reflect the experiences and aspirations of the people those policies are intended to support.