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Lifting the blinkers: a new view of power, diversity and poverty in Mozambican rural labour markets

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 August 2008

Christopher Cramer ,
Carlos Oya  and
John Sender
Christopher Cramer*
Affiliation:
School of Oriental and African Studies, Russell Square, London, WC1H 0XG, United Kingdom
Carlos Oya*
Affiliation:
School of Oriental and African Studies, Russell Square, London, WC1H 0XG, United Kingdom
John Sender*
Affiliation:
School of Oriental and African Studies, Russell Square, London, WC1H 0XG, United Kingdom
*
Emails: cc10@soas.ac.uk
co2@soas.ac.uk
john.sender@gmail.com
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Abstract

This paper presents some results from the largest rural labour market survey yet conducted in Mozambique. Evidence from three provinces shows that labour markets have a significant impact on the lives of a large number of poor people, and that employers exercise considerable discretion in setting wages and conditions of casual, seasonal and permanent wage employment. The evidence presented comes from a combination of a quantitative survey based on purposive sampling with other techniques, including interviews with large farmers. The findings contrast with ideas that rural labour markets are of limited relevance to poverty reduction policy formulation in Africa, and the paper concludes with methodological, analytical and policy recommendations.

Type
Research Article
Information
The Journal of Modern African Studies , Volume 46 , Issue 3 , September 2008 , pp. 361 - 392
Copyright
Copyright © 2008 Cambridge University Press

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