Rural economic activities of persons with disabilities in Sub-Saharan Africa

Abstract

ABSTRACT Despite the high prevalence of disabilities and evidence that persons with disabilities are marginalised in rural areas of developing countries, little is known about their economic lives. The literature is limited to studying how disability affects participation in labour markets and hours worked. This paper extends the current literature by exploring the extent to which disability is associated with participation in, and income generated from, different types of rural activities, such as agriculture, non-agriculture, and wage labour, in three of the most populous Sub-Saharan African countries (Ethiopia, Nigeria, Tanzania). Findings based on panel data and a split first-difference model demonstrate that correlations between changes in disability and changes in economic activities and outcomes are highly contextual. A disaggregated look at various rural economic activities provides a more nuanced understanding of ways in which households cope with changing disability status within a given context. Analyses of disability severity and physical disabilities provide consistent results.