FAO’s work on migration

15/12/2021

Migration brings both challenges and opportunities for food security, sustainable agriculture and rural development.

International Migrants Day 2021 has been an opportunity to explore policy options that address the adverse drivers of migration and incorporate migration issues in agriculture and rural development strategies.

FAO migration framework. Migration as a choice and an opportunity for rural development
The Framework serves as a guide for the Organization’s work on migration at global, regional and country level. The In Brief version is available here.

The State of Food and Agriculture 2018. Migration, agriculture and rural development
This publication focuses on migration in its different forms and highlights how – despite the challenges they may present – migration flows are crucial to economic, social and human development.

Migrant workers and the COVID-19 pandemic (policy brief)
This policy brief reviews the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on migrants working in agri-food systems and their families in rural areas of origin. According to the brief, measures affecting the movement of people (internally and internationally) and resulting labour shortages, will have an impact on agricultural value chains, affecting food availability and market prices globally. 

Social protection and migration
The relationship between social protection, migration, and rural development is critical to the FAO mandate to end hunger for all. In its capacity as an organization working across emergency and development contexts, FAO is well positioned to promote the synergies that exist at the intersection of social protection and migration in rural contexts.

Rural migration in sub-Saharan Africa – Patterns, drivers and relation to structural transformation
In recent years, rural migration within sub-Saharan Africa has increased, generating serious socioeconomic and environmental challenges. This paper explores these challenges by looking at the new drivers of migration in the region.

Rural Africa in motion: Dynamics and drivers of migration south of the Sahara
Focusing on a region particularly exposed to migration, this atlas includes maps and infographics showing rural migrants’ profiles, migration drivers and patterns, remittance flows and much more.

Further reading

Forthcoming

  • Global lessons learned on supporting reintegration of return migrants in rural areas 
  • Toolkit for supporting reintegration of return migrants in rural areas

Additional resources

Websites

News articles

E-learning courses

Videos