ABSTRACT
In summary, it is reasonable to assume that currently available national datasets systematically and significantly under-report rural labour market participation in Tanzania. The ILFSs and similar surveys are unlikely to reveal the true extent and importance of wage employment for many poor rural Tanzanians, and, as a result, most national statistics are silent on this important issue. In the light of this evidence, new concerted approaches are required to unravel the importance and extent of rural wage labour. In general agreement with Pontara (2010), in this chapter it is argued that small-scale qualitative and quantitative research has an important role in filling some of the gaps left open by larger surveys, since it holds several methodological advantages towards the study of rural labour markets. First, smaller studies allow for in-depth discussions and investigation of the various economic activities of respondents. Second, such surveys are better suited to complement quantitative data with qualitative insights and help clarify the complex realities and survival strategies of respondents. As Sender et al. (2006, 313) argue, qualitative data can help researchers to ‘put flesh on the bones of a rural labour market survey’.
