SEASONAL MIGRATION AND YOUTH DEVELOPMENT IN THE EASTERN BARIENOU DISTRICT, BENIN

Abstract

This study investigated the relationship between seasonal migration and youth development in Eastern Barienou, Benin. Several young people from the Barienou district in northern Benin leave their homes each year to work in Nigeria’s agricultural sector. Migration is a strategy employed to improve their standard of living. The general objective of this study was to investigate the effects of seasonal migration on youth development in the Eastern Barienou district, Benin. The specific objectives of the study were to: examine the effect of seasonal migration on the social dimension of youth development; investigate the effect of seasonal migration on the economic dimension of youth development; examine the effect of seasonal migration on the environmental dimension of youth development and investigate the mediating effect of seasonal migration on the relationship between seasonal migration and youth development. New economic labour migration and world system theories guided the study. This study employed a mixed-method research design that combines a correlation survey and a phenomenological study. The study population included 450 people. The sampling frame included not only a list of youth in the Eastern Barienou district but also a list of youth’s parents and youth’s leaders. Based on Krejcie and Morgan table, 196 participants were sampled using stratified sampling techniques. Data were collected using a questionnaire, an interview guide and a focus group discussion guide. A multivariate regression analysis was run to assess the association between seasonal migration and youth development. The study revealed that seasonal migration has a significant negative relationship with the social dimension (β=.-39, p<.001), a significant positive relationship with the economic dimension (β=.80, p<.001), a significant negative relationship with the environmental dimension (β=.-23, p<.001), and a significant negative relationship with youth development through the mediating role of social constraints ((β=.-87, p<.001). QDA miner lite V3.0.6 was used for qualitative data analysis, SPSS 21 for descriptive analysis, and SPSS AMOS 26 for multivariate regression analysis. The study recommended that the Benin government enhance farming sectors in the Eastern Barienou district and collaborate with the Nigerian government to improve working conditions for seasonal migrants.