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Agriculture has traditionally been the backbone of Swaziland’s economy but has experienced severe decline. Its contribution to GDP has decreased gradually over the last two decades due to a number of factors, including recurring drought, chronic underinvestment and the impact of HIV and AIDS. Despite this, agriculture-based products account for around 75 percent of the country’s total export revenues. With key extension officers lacking the skills to disseminate nutrition and gender-sensitive agricultural technologies and practices, the project sought to strengthen national capacities through the establishment of Farmer Field Schools, with farmer representatives trained as facilitators in order to support on-the-ground [...]

Organic producers have new opportunities to supply their products to the markets as the demand for safe product is increasing in Asia and in the world. The high cost and paperwork associated with the third-party certification hamper smallholder farmers to benefit from this trend. At the same time, consumers are faced with difficulties to trust organic or safe products in the market. In response, a pilot project in Lao People’s Democratic Republic and Cambodia addressed the certification and marketing issues through the promoting of Participatory Guarantee Systems (PGS). Through a training of trainers (ToT) 13 participants (46 percent women) from [...]

This document summarizes the online discussion Youth employment in agriculture as a solid solution to ending hunger and poverty in Africa, which was held on the FAO Global Forum on Food Security and Nutrition (FSN Forum) from 16 July to 10 August 2018. The discussion was organized to gather views in advance of the 20-21 August regional conference “Youth Employment in Agriculture as a Solid Solution to Ending Hunger and Poverty in Africa: Engaging through Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) and Entrepreneurship” in Kigali, Rwanda. The major thematic areas of the conference focused on youth and entrepreneurship, digital innovation, and [...]

L'emploi et le travail décent en milieu rural sont essentiels pour parvenir à la sécurité alimentaire et à la réduction de la pauvreté. L'un des programmes phares de la FAO dans ce domaine est l'Approche Pays Intégrée (API) pour la promotion de l’emploi décent des jeunes en milieu rural. Jusqu'à présent, le programme API a été mis en œuvre dans cinq pays de l’Afrique subsaharienne et de l’Amérique latine. Au Sénégal, la mise en œuvre du programme a commencé en 2015.

Trade Policy Brief No. 32 With agriculture accounting for roughly 70 percent of employment and 30 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) in low-income countries, trade in agricultural products has the potential to significantly affect rural employment, incomes and poverty in these countries. See the complete series: Trade Policy Briefs  

This document summarizes the online discussion Sustaining the impact of capacity development initiatives for African youth in agriculture, which was held on the FAO Global Forum on Food Security and Nutrition in Africa (FSN Forum Africa) from 25 October to 17 November 2017. The aim was to solicit opinions on capacity development sustainability initiatives for young agripreneurs in Africa, and to contribute to identifying challenges and opportunities related to sustaining the impact of all interventions (existing and future ones) aimed at developing capacities and engaging youth in agriculture. See all ongoing and past discussion on the Global Forum on Food Security and [...]

HELPING SMALLHOLDER PRODUCERS TO ACCESS MARKETS IN MARGINALIZED AREAS OF KENYA AND SOUTH SUDAN Low agricultural production and low household incomes mean that food security in the northwest of Kenya and the southeastern part of South Sudan continues to be a challenge. With smallholder producers and small and medium-sized entrepreneurs often marginalized and excluded from access to markets at national and regional levels, there was an urgent need to devise innovative approaches to developing and reinforcing efficient business linkages between value chain actors. Project duration: July 2013 –June 2017 Download Project Highlight pdf  

Agriculture remains the single most important employer in many developing country, as there are about 200 million unemployed nowadays and many more underemployed. Opportunities arise in agriculture and food systems thanks to a growing middle class, who demands processed, packaged and convenience food and agricultural goods. A significant share of the labor-aged population earns their income and livelihoods by engaging in the sector, why the future lies with the components of the food system and the food value chain that extends beyond primary agricultural production. See the complete series here.

In Lesotho, social protection plays an important role in protecting poor and vulnerable people from natural hazards saving lives and livelihoods, while also enhancing families’ capacity to cope, respond and withstand threats and crises.  In 2009 rural poor in Lesotho started receiving cash transfers through the Child Grant Programme. This brought positive impacts on the local economy, education and school enrolment, children living standards and agriculture production.  Cash transfers are a powerful tool to combat hunger and poverty. This video highlights and raise awareness on how social protection impacts can be maximized. 

This note focuses on the important role that agricultural stakeholders can play in the fight against child labour, in the aftermath of the newly released global data on child labour. The publication addresses basic concepts through the following four sections: 1) why addressing child labour in agriculture requires particular attention; 2) what is the role of government and agricultural-related ministries; 3) what are agricultural extension agents; and 4) what do they do and what is the role of produce organizations.