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JOURNAL OF YOUTH RESEARCHES
Employment in the Rural Youth in Turkey and the Future of Agricultural Employment
a possibility of employment in non-agricultural jobs, agriculture is used as the second
source of income. In small enterprises, women and men are involved in agricultural
activity based on social sex in the framework of division of labor.
In landless or low-landed families, seasonal agricultural labor, especially for women,
creates an important employment area for non-occupational agriculture.
Employment Policies Related to Rural Youth
Within the active employment policies in Turkey, there is no employment policy direct-
ly related to the rural youth. Although very general disadvantaged groups are men-
tioned, and this is far from rural youth.
The Causes of Unemployment in Rural Youth, Trends in
Abandonment and Leaving Agriculture
On the basis of Turkey’s social and cultural structure, the most important problem of
youth is economic problems. Unemployment, living difficulties, cost of living, inequal-
ity in income distribution and inequality influence young people (Bayhan, 2013). Limit-
ed socio-economic opportunities in rural areas, where there is hidden unemployment,
keep youth away from rural areas.
In short, the socio-economic inadequacies (driving forces) that rural areas have are
the most important reasons for unemployment among young people. The next dimen-
sion of this is the increasing tendency of young people to migrate from the city to the
city due to attractive aspects and communicative attractions of the city. The tendency
of rural people to leave rural areas and agriculture has reached a very high level and
does not differ according to sex.
It is seen that rural young people prefer to settle in the city and to live their lives in
the city. The main reason for this is economic, but at the same time the reasons like
education, social life, dislike of agricultural activities and so on keep young people
out of the village. Especially after the 50’s, the rural development movements which
accelerated facilitated the connection of the cities with the rural areas. In parallel
with the developments in communication and transportation, the structure of the rural
community has begun to be solved. This is one of the main factors in the young peo-
ple’s desire to leave the rural area.
