Child labour and hazardous work among youth aged 15–17 are common in low- and middle-income countries, where many work as contributing family workers in agriculture. It remains a global concern, driven by poverty, food insecurity and poor access to education. Children face several hazards and risks, including exposure to chemicals, extreme weather, dangerous tools, strenuous work and risky interactions with animals. 

Boys and girls face different types of vulnerability to child labour in agriculture and agrifood systems. They have distinct expectations, risks and opportunities shaped by entrenched social norms and structural inequalities. Yet the gender dimensions of child labour are often overlooked. In many rural contexts, girls bear a dual burden: they contribute to agricultural production while managing unpaid domestic responsibilities such as caregiving, food preparation and collecting firewood and water. These crucial tasks for household survival are often invisible in labour statistics and rarely recognized as work. Girls frequently experience longer working hours and reduced access to education, increasing their vulnerability to psychosocial and physical risks. This dual burden and lack of institutional recognition heighten their vulnerability to exploitation, early pregnancy and school exclusion, compromising their health, safety, self-esteem and opportunities. Boys are more likely engaged in hazardous agricultural tasks, including pesticide application, herding and operating machinery, exposing them to physical dangers and long-term health consequences, particularly in livestock herding, where they face cold exposure, animal attacks, and biological and bacterial hazards. In fisheries and aquaculture, boys risk drowning, hypothermia, entanglement and crushing injuries.  

The gendered nature of child labour is further compounded by broader socio-economic dynamics. In areas affected by male outmigration, girls are often pulled from school to support overburdened mothers, exacerbating gender disparities in education and labour. Climate change adds another layer of complexity: extreme weather events and shifting agricultural seasons disrupt livelihoods, pushing families to rely more heavily on children’s labour, with girls expected to perform additional household chores, care responsibilities and productive work, often in dangerous or demanding conditions. 

FAO adopts a rights-based and gender-responsive approach to eliminate child labour in agriculture. Recognizing its roots in poverty, lack of education and weak social protection, FAO supports integrated, area-based interventions that address these structural drivers and specific needs through the active engagement of communities, particularly women’s and youth organizations, to ensure inclusive and locally relevant solutions.  

FAO interventions show that women’s empowerment contributes to improving household incomes and supporting children's school attendance. By increasing women’s access to technical and leadership skills and income generating activities and resources, they become key actors in addressing root causes of child labour in agricultural and rural settings. 

FAO advocates for decent rural employment with fair wages, workplace safety and social protection, while upholding fundamental human rights. It supports governments and partners through technical assistance, capacity development and policy dialogue to integrate child labour concerns into rural development strategies. By fostering cross-sector collaboration and inclusive agrifood systems, FAO envisions a future where both boys and girls are free from hazardous work, access quality education and vocational training, and grow up in safe, inclusive and sustainable environments.