Primary Exports and Employment at the Subnational Level in Peru: 2007–2021 and Its Implications for Sustainable Development Goal 9

This research aims to establish and measure the relationship between primary exports (including mining, fishing, agricultural, and non-traditional exports) and employment in Peru at the departmental level from 2007 to 2021. Panel Models have been employed to analyze data across various departments, utilizing both fixed effects and random effects models, with the selection informed by the Hausman test. The findings reveal that total employment increases by 0.02% with each one percentage unit increase in total exports. Furthermore, disaggregated analysis indicates that a one-unit increase in mining, fishing, agricultural, and non-traditional exports correlates with specific increases in employment within these sectors. Mining shows a 0.058 increase, fishing demonstrates a 0.633 increase, agriculture presents a 0.316 increase, and non-traditional activities exhibit a 0.209 increase in employment. This study highlights the pivotal role of primary exports in driving employment growth at the subnational level in Peru, particularly aligning with Sustainable Development Goal 9 (SDG 9). SDG 9 focuses on building resilient infrastructure, promoting inclusive and sustainable industrialization, and fostering innovation. By understanding the impact of primary exports on employment, this research contributes to the goal of fostering sustainable industrialization and promoting economic growth in Peru’s regions.