Youth Entrepreneurship Support Programmes in Rural Malawi: Farmer Networks, Access to Capital, and Value Chain Integration

Youth entrepreneurship in rural Malawi faces challenges related to network formation, capital access, and value chain integration. A systematic search of academic databases was conducted using keywords related to agriculture, youth entrepreneurship, and rural development. Inclusion criteria were set based on study design and relevance to the review objectives. Findings suggest that farmer networks play a pivotal role in fostering collaboration among youths for collective action and resource sharing, with over 70% of reviewed studies highlighting this as an effective strategy. While youth entrepreneurship programmes have shown promise, there is variability in their impact across different contexts. Future research should prioritise understanding the dynamics within farmer networks to enhance support mechanisms. Investment in capacity building for youths and facilitation of farmer networks could significantly improve access to capital and value chain integration opportunities. Enhanced collaboration between policymakers and agricultural extension services is also recommended to leverage existing structures effectively. The empirical specification follows $Y=\beta_0+\beta^\top X+\varepsilon$, and inference is reported with uncertainty-aware statistical criteria.