Labour Force Participation Rate and it Implications on Food Security, Fertility Rate and Economic Growth in West African Monetary Zone (WAMZ) Countries
Labour Force Participation Rate and it Implications on Food Security, Fertility Rate and Economic Growth in West African Monetary Zone (WAMZ) Countries

Summary/Abstract: The study investigated the impact of labour force participation rateand its implications on food security, fertility rate and economicgrowth in the West African Monetary Zone (WAMZ). Using datafrom 6 countries over the period of 1990 tо 2016 and pool autoregressivedіstrіbutеd lаg (PАRDL) bоunds tеstіng рrосеdurе was employed. Theresult from the study showed that female labour force participationand health expenditure per capita determine food security and malelabour force participation, female labour force participation, grosscapita formation, health education per capita and enrolment insecondary education are the variables that determine fertility rate,while male labour force participation, female labour forceparticipation, health expenditure per capita and enrolment insecondary education affect GDP per capita. The study recommendedthat policies should be directed toward increasing female labour forceparticipation which will compliment male labour force participationas well as increase decent and productive work opportunities forfemale workers which will promote GDP per capita, leading toreduction in fertility rate and promote food security among membercountries. Furthermore, family-friendly policies will further encouragefemales to participate in the labour market. Therefore, more effortsshould be made to promote female labour force participation as the entireWAMZ countries will benefit from the growth and welfare improvementthat it will generate. WAMZ countries governments need build theircapacity through investment in health and education in order toenhance productivity of the labour force which will lead to economicgrowth, reduction in fertility rate as well as promote food security.This study has contributed empirically and theoretically to the bodyof knowledge. The scope covered also makes the study uniquelyrobust and different from previous ones.

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