Is Youth's Engagement in Agribusiness an Opportunity ora Necessity? A Closer Look at the Situation in South Kivu,Eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo

Résumé

Despite the broad focus on necessity‐ and opportunity‐driven entrepreneurship in research and policy, the entrepreneurialdichotomy within the agribusiness context has not been adequately addressed. This study contributes to closing this knowledgegap by examining youth's perceptions of agribusiness through the lens of the push‐pull motivation framework. Results revealthat 47% of youth are driven into agribusiness by both necessity and opportunity, while 41% by necessity alone and only 12% byopportunity alone. Key factors shaping youth's perceptions include gender, education, food processing participation,agribusiness‐related training, land ownership, monthly income, and family farming background. The result further identifiessignificant heterogeneity in the drivers of perceptions—based on location, gender, and agribusiness roles, suggesting the need totailor agricultural program interventions to ensure the best fit. Notably, enhancing access to formal education and agribusinesstraining,

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ABSTRACT

Despite the broad focus on necessity‐ and opportunity‐driven entrepreneurship in research and policy, the entrepreneurialdichotomy within the agribusiness context has not been adequately addressed. This study contributes to closing this knowledgegap by examining youth's perceptions of agribusiness through the lens of the push‐pull motivation framework. Results revealthat 47% of youth are driven into agribusiness by both necessity and opportunity, while 41% by necessity alone and only 12% byopportunity alone. Key factors shaping youth's perceptions include gender, education, food processing participation,agribusiness‐related training, land ownership, monthly income, and family farming background. The result further identifiessignificant heterogeneity in the drivers of perceptions—based on location, gender, and agribusiness roles, suggesting the need totailor agricultural program interventions to ensure the best fit. Notably, enhancing access to formal education and agribusinesstraining, encouraging participation in food processing, and improving land access are critical to enhancing youth participationin agribusiness.

Mots-clés

agribusiness DR Congo necessity opportunity perceptions youth