Economic Roles of Older Adults

Contrary to common ‘old age dependency ratio’ notions, a majority of older men and women in most SSA countries continue to be economically active across a spectrum of sectors and roles. One example is smallholder agriculture, where older farmers may now predominate in many farming communities as a result of disinterest or rural-urban outmigration of younger age groups. We examine the nature and scope of older people’s economic functions and their implications specifically for the achievement of a demographic dividend in Africa.