How we work
FAO works with governments and other partners to promote decent rural employment opportunities that ensure: a living wage; security in the workplace; access to social protection; gender equality; and respect for fundamental human rights. FAO uses an integrated approach that encompasses research, knowledge generation, policy and normative support, technical advice, and capacity development, as well as partnerships, advocacy, and communication for development.
To ensure that no one is left behind, FAO supports disadvantaged groups of workers, particularly women, youth, people with disabilities, children and migrant workers in rural areas.
With its extensive country presence and longstanding experience in strengthening institutional and entrepreneurial capacities in rural areas, FAO leverages its comparative advantage to foster the development of inclusive, sustainable and resilient agrifood systems.
As a leading institution of global agrifood governance, FAO supports governments in designing evidence-based policies and programmes that create a decent rural work environment and employment opportunities, and equity for all those involved in agrifood systems at all levels.
FAO focuses on field-proven approaches and tangible solutions to unlock the potential for farm and non-farm employment within agrifood value chains. Special emphasis is placed on promoting youth employment and entrepreneurship through skills development and inclusive policy dialogue, and by facilitating the transition from school to work. At the same time, through the promotion of training opportunities, access to agricultural inputs, and safe farming practices, FAO strives to boost and diversify the income of rural families to prevent households from relying on child labour as a primary source of income.
FAO is also committed to boosting green jobs in the shift towards sustainable and climate-smart agricultural production, while also addressing access to resources and financial services for prospective and returning migrants in rural areas.
To ensure coherent and concerted responses to rural un- and under-employment and poverty, FAO works in partnership with UN, regional, national and community-level actors as well as with the private sector to coordinate its initiatives.
Key publications
FAO's work on rural migration
30/10/2023
Poverty and food insecurity are on the rise and the world is facing an unprecedented global food crisis. The deterioration of rural livelihoods, accelerated by climate change, is leading millions of people to migrate, especially within their own countries. Rural populations are among the most vulnerable to both extreme weather events and gradual environmental changes as their livelihoods depend on natural resources. Waves of reverse migration, like the one triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic, showed the struggle rural communities also face in reintegrating migrants returning home. At the same time, migration can be an engine of economic growth and innovation, and it can greatly contribute to more efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable agrifood systems. FAO strives to make migration a choice and an opportunity for rural populations, and to maximize its benefits. This brochure presents FAO's work on rural migration, along with each priority for action. It provides a description of what FAO does, with whom and why, presenting tangible results and stories from the field.
