Youth Employment, Indigenous Knowledge, and Border Trade: A Case Study of Mfwambo Chiefdom in Northern Zambia

Northern Province of Zambia continues to face persistent poverty and unemployment despite abundant natural resources and cultural heritage. Youth unemployment, estimated at 61% of the employable population, remains a pressing socio economic challenge. This study investigated the intersection of indigenous knowledge systems and border trade as alternative pathways for sustainable development in Mfwambo Chiefdom, Mbala District. Unlike earlier studies that focused primarily on agriculture and natural capital, this paper adopts a novel perspective by examining how indigenous practices, combined with opportunities at the Kaseshya border post with Tanzania, can generate employment and diversify livelihoods. Using a mixed methods design, data were collected from 200 respondents, including farmers, youth, traders, and traditional leaders. Findings revealed that indigenous knowledge in agriculture, forestry, and fisheries provides untapped opportunities for enterprise creation, while border trade infrastructure offers potential for integrating local products into regional markets. Regression analysis confirmed that indigenous knowledge and border trade jointly explained 78% of variation in youth livelihood outcomes. The study concluded that sustainable development in rural chiefdoms requires a dual strategy: institutionalising indigenous knowledge and leveraging border trade to absorb youth labour. Policy recommendations include strengthening vocational training, formalising indigenous practices within extension services, and investing in border infrastructure to stimulate inclusive growth.

Indigenous knowledge; Border trade; Youth employment; Sustainable development; Mfwambo Chiefdom

1. Banguna, T. (2024). Youth unemployment and social instability in Zambia. Lusaka: ZamPress. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

2. Chambers, R. (1994). Whose reality counts? Putting the first last. Intermediate Technology Publications. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

3. COMESA. (2017). Regional trade facilitation report. Lusaka: COMESA Secretariat. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

4. Congressional Research Service. (2022). Youth employment challenges in Sub Saharan Africa. Washington, DC: CRS. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

5. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). (2019). The state of the world’s forests. Rome: FAO. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

6. Grenier, L. (1998). Working with indigenous knowledge: A guide for researchers. Ottawa: IDRC. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

7. International Labour Organization (ILO). (2019). Youth employment in Africa: Trends and challenges. Geneva: International Labour Organization. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

8. Kato, E., & Kiwanuka, R. (2019). Traditional farming techniques and sustainability in rural Uganda. Journal of Rural Studies, 65, 120–130. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

9. Lumwanga, B., Phiri, J., & Mwansa, K. (2026). Indigenous knowledge systems and biodiversity conservation among the Lala people of Serenje District, Zambia. Lusaka: University of Zambia Press. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

10. Mukosa, P., Banda, L., & Chirwa, M. (2020). Youth unemployment and risky behaviours in Zambia. Ndola: Copperbelt University Publications. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

11. Ncube, M., Siatwiinda, M., & Mulenga, B. (2025). Agroecological resilience and indigenous knowledge in Zambia’s rural communities. Ndola: Copperbelt University Publications. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

12. Nature. (2021). Climate variability and rural livelihoods in Sub Saharan Africa. Nature Climate Change, 11(3), 210–218. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

13. Phiri, T., Banda, L., & Chirwa, M. (2018). Socio economic activities in rural Malawi: Evidence from household surveys. Development Southern Africa, 35(4), 512–528. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

14. Scoones, I. (1998). Sustainable rural livelihoods: A framework for analysis. IDS Working Paper 72. Brighton: Institute of Development Studies. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

15. Siatwiinda, M. (2025). Agroecological resilience and indigenous knowledge in Zambia’s rural communities. Ndola: Copperbelt University Publications. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

16. TradeMark East Africa. (2020). Border post efficiency study. Nairobi: TMEA. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

17. United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). (2019). Human development report 2019: Beyond income, beyond averages, beyond today. New York: UNDP. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

18. United Nations. (2015). Transforming our world: The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. New York: UN. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

19. United Nations. (2024). Natural resource management policies in Zambia. New York: UN. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

20. USAID. (2021). Health and education initiatives in Northern Province, Zambia. Washington, DC: USAID. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

21. Wambugu, J., & Muthee, P. (2021). Border trade and rural transformation in Kenya. African Development Review, 33(2), 145–162. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

22. World Bank. (2019–2024). Transforming Landscapes for Resilience and Development (TRALARD Project). Washington, DC: World Bank. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

23. World Bank. (2020). World development report 2020: Trading for development in the age of global value chains. Washington, DC: World Bank. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

24. World Bank. (2021). Border post efficiency and trade facilitation in Zambia. Washington, DC: World Bank. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

25. Zambia Statistics Agency (ZamStats). (2022). Poverty Assessment Report. Lusaka: ZamStats. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

• The Impact of Ownership Structure on Dividend Payout Policy of Listed Plantation Companies in Sri Lanka
• Urban Sustainability in North-East India: A Study through the lens of NER-SDG index
• Performance Assessment of Predictive Forecasting Techniques for Enhancing Hospital Supply Chain Efficiency in Healthcare Logistics
• The Fractured Self in Julian Barnes' Postmodern Fiction: Identity Crisis and Deflation in Metroland and the Sense of an Ending
• Impact of Flood on the Employment, Labour Productivity and Migration of Agricultural Labour in North Bihar