Entrepreneurship and youth population interact to enhance economic performance, and actions oriented to bring down social barriers linked to the fear to entrepreneurial failure are as important as policies focused on access to finance or human capital formation. Entrepreneurship generates opportunities for professional development, social and economic integration, the maintenance of the rural population and the attraction of new residents to these territories. Young entrepreneurs face more than financial constraints, as local economic conditions and their risk aversion are important barriers to engage in entrepreneurial activities. To achieve greater rates of entrepreneurship amongst rural youths, policy should mould the value system of the community in general, and not exclusively that of young adults.

Peer Reviewed