Territorial Disparities in Young People’s Access to Agricultural Employment Opportunities in the Fez-Meknes Region of Morocco: A Quantitative Study

Abstract

This study examined territorial disparities in young people’s access to agricultural employment in the Fez-Meknes region of Morocco, drawing on human capital theory, spatial accessibility perspectives and social network approaches. A quantitative, cross-sectional design was adopted, based on a structured survey of 200 young people aged 18-34 living in rural, peri-urban and urban areas. Data were analysed in SPSS using descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, reliability analysis, correlation analysis and binary logistic regression. Access to agricultural employment was higher among rural respondents (58%) than among peri-urban (45%) and urban respondents (40%), but the territorial differences were not statistically significant (?² = 5.36, p = .069). Access was positively associated with territorial accessibility (OR = 1.55, p = .018), human capital (OR = 1.42, p = .041), economic resources (OR = 1.68, p = .006) and information and institutional support (OR = 1.75, p = .003). Urban residence was negatively associated with access relative to rural residence (OR = 0.66, p = .049), whereas gender was not significant (p = .087). Access therefore appears to depend not only on location but also on skills, resources, mobility and information. The findings support territorially targeted policies that strengthen youth employability; they require validation against the actual survey data.