The modernization of agrifood systems (AFS) is transforming labour markets and generating new employment opportunities. However, are these emerging opportunities enabling youth to take up more waged employment – often associated with higher incomes and social benefits? And are these opportunities being equitably distributed between men and women? This paper examines youth waged employment participation in AFS and gender wage disparities, exploring whether it is offering an inclusive pathway. Using harmonized employment and wage data from household surveys – allocated to the different AFS and non-AFS sectors through the International Standard Industrial Classification (ISIC) codes – we employ stochastic dominance analysis, and Kitagawa-Oaxaca-Blinder decompositions, to examine gender wage gaps across eight countries and three regions: Bangladesh and Pakistan from Asia; Ecuador, Nicaragua and Peru from Latin America; and Malawi, the United Republic of Tanzania and Uganda from sub-Saharan Africa. Our analysis reveals three key insights. First, waged agricultural employment remains male-dominated in most countries analysed, though in some, young male workers are more likely than male adults to take up these jobs. Second, wage employment in the non-AFS sector provides more and better-paying jobs – including for youth – than other sectors, while opportunities in the non-agricultural AFS jobs in some countries are still scarce. Third, gender wage gaps continue to persist across many countries and age groups, largely driven by structural factors, especially where women are underrepresented in non-agricultural AFS roles or work fewer hours. These findings highlight the urgent need for policies that tackle gender-specific barriers and systemic inequalities, particularly in the AFS sectors. As agrifood systems modernize, ensuring equitable and inclusive employment, especially for young women, must be a central priority.