Skills mismatch in the agricultural labour market in Benin: vertical and horizontal mismatch

ABSTRACT

This study investigates skills mismatch in the agricultural labour market. Therefore, 336 agriculture employers and 654 agriculture employees were surveyed in Benin. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and non-parametric tests . The findings showed that even though there is a good educational match for most employees, overeducation is more substantial than under education for upper agricultural high school diploma holders (DEAT) and agricultural tertiary education diploma holders. In addition, about 2% of agricultural high education diploma holders and 6.38% of DEAT holders had a job irrelevant to their field of study. The study further showed that agriculture graduates were under-skilled for the soft and digital skills under review. Moreover, training providers do not equip students with job search skills. These findings imply that vertical mismatch is more pronounced than horizontal mismatch. The study suggested a prioritisation of the implementation of training programmes based on the demand in terms of study level and field of study, an update of curricula by integrating the lacking soft, digital and job search skills, a settlement of a collaborative network between employers and training institutions, an implementation of mentoring programmes, and an investment of enterprises in the adequate training of youth as social responsability.

KEYWORDS:

• Agricultural training institutions
• agriculture graduates
• skills
• mismatch
• labour market
• employability

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1. The expected number of 30 for the particular category of international organisations were not reached during data collection due to their limited number and the unavailability of some of them.

2. Since employers are looking for the best candidates in terms of recruitment, it was not important for them to assess the job search skills needs; the assessment was done only from the supply side.

3. Tropical Agricultural Studies Certificate (Brevet d’Etudes Agricoles Tropicales: BEAT). It is the first diploma standing for the first level at the public agricultural technical high schools (TVETs) in Benin

4. Diploma of Tropical Agricultural Studies (Diplôme d’Etudes Agricoles Tropicales: DEAT). It is the second diploma standing for the second level the at public agricultural technical high schools (TVETs) in Benin

5. We do not claim to have prepared an exhaustive list of all types of jobs in the agricultural sector. It is also important to know that these jobs vary according to the major and the employing organisation.

Additional information

Funding

This study was conducted as part of the project ‘Mentoring young agriculture graduates in the search for decent jobs in the labor market’. The project was funded by the International Development Research Centre (IDRC), based in Ottawa, Canada (Grant n° 109085-001).

Notes on contributors

Rodrigue S. Kaki

Rodrigue Kaki is a PhD candidate in Agricultural Economics at the National University of Agriculture, Republic of Benin. He conducts his PhD research jointly with the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences of the University of Abomey-Calavi (FSA-UAC). His research topics include discrimination in the agricultural labour market, youth employment, impact evaluation. His research interests also include agricultural value chain development.

Rodrigue C. Gbedomon

Rodrigue Gbedomon is a Research Associate in the Laboratory of Biomathematics and Forestry Estimation (LABEF) of the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, University of Abomey-Calavi (Benin). His research interests include biodiversity, ecosystem services, agricultural and forest value chains, youth employment, and strategic environmental assessment.

Fréjus S. Thoto

Fréjus Thoto is the Manager of DagriVest, a company that exists to tackle the multi-billion financing gap facing the agricultural sector in Africa by linking farmers and agribusinesses to ordinary citizens’ investments, and strengthening young people's skills and connecting them to decent jobs. He studied agricultural economics.

Donald M. Houessou

Donald Houessou is an Agricultural Economist. He has experience in program management, research and evaluation in food and nutrition security, community resilience, common goods, fisheries, urban agriculture, and urban food systems.

Kisito Gandji

Kisito Gandji is a Project Assistant at DagriVest. He is also a Research Associate at the Laboratory of Biomathematics and Forestry Estimation (LABEF) of the University of Abomey-Calavi, Republic of Benin. His research interests include Ecology, Social forestry, Biodiversity conservation, Neglected and underutilized plant species, Climate change, and youth employment.

Augustin K. N. Aoudji

Augustin Aoudji is a lecturer and senior scientist at the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences of the University of Abomey-Calavi (FSA-UAC), Republic of Benin. He holds a PhD in Agricultural Economics and has extensive experience in research. His research interests center on issues related to agricultural value chain development, food security, agribusiness and agricultural entrepreneurship, and youth employment. He is driven by success and passion to influence change that can lead to improvements in social outcomes in the community, particularly among the marginalized populations.