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Decent Rural Employment

Integrated Country Approach for boosting decent jobs for youth in the agrifood system
With the support of:
Sida logo English
  • Project title: Integrated Country Approach for boosting decent jobs for youth in the agrifood system – Phase IV (ICA-4)
  • Project duration: March 2024 – February 2027 (36 months)
  • Resource partners: Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida)
  • Countries: Ecuador, Viet Nam, Zambia
  • Total budget: USD 4.6 million

There are more young people on our planet today than ever before. Approximately 85 percent of youth live in Africa, Asia and Latin America and the Caribbean, primarily in rural areas. The working-age population is growing. This represents a challenge, but also a unique opportunity to benefit from a huge demographic dividend, leading to the rejuvenation of agrifood systems, economic growth, and inclusive rural transformations.

Why FAO

The ICA-4 project builds on FAO's longstanding experience in promoting decent rural employment and fostering the development of inclusive agrifood value chains. In particular, FAO has been implementing its Integrated Country Approach (ICA) for youth employment since 2011. As part of its ICA interventions, the Organization has developed a comprehensive set of practical tools, including case studies, guidance materials and knowledge products – such as the Youth-sensitive value chain analysis. Beyond ICA, FAO has generated lessons learned through youth employment projects in multiple countries and regions, developed technical expertise, and strengthened global and regional partnerships. Directly contributing to the FAO Rural Youth Action Plan 2021–2025, ICA is embedded in the FAO Strategic Framework, within the corporate cross-cutting theme on Youth and under the Better Life priority. 

Interventions

By adopting a market-systems development approach in Ecuador, Viet Nam and Zambia, ICA-4 supports national stakeholders – including policymakers, market actors and youth organizations – in designing and implementing sustainable, inclusive and scalable solutions for generating decent employment and entrepreneurship opportunities for youth in agrifood value chains. At the same time, the project facilitates knowledge sharing and policy dialogue.

These efforts will translate into the adoption of youth-inclusive business practices, products and services by market players in selected agrifood value chains – thus contributing to the generation of sustainable agribusiness and job opportunities for rural youth. Special emphasis will be also placed on enhancing youth-inclusive norms and regulations as well as governance mechanisms.

As of today, the ICA has been implemented in three phases. Expand each tab below to find out more.

The first phase of the programme was implemented in Malawi and Tanzania with Sida funding through the FAO Flexible Voluntary Contribution mechanism. FAO provided support on decent work inclusion into the design of policies, strategies and programmes, such as the Tanzanian National Agricultural Policy (2013). Furthermore, technical and capacity development assistance was provided on youth employment and child labour prevention in agriculture. Results achieved and lessons learned from this phase can be found here.

The second implementation phase targeted Senegal, Uganda and Guatemala, applying and refining methodologies and tools developed during the first phase. This phase focused on the youth as main target group. It also adopted more cost-effective methods for capacity development, such as e-learning methodologies. This phase of the programme was also funded by Sida through the FAO Flexible Voluntary Contribution. The main results and success stories from the field from are available here.

The third phase of the ICA programme was also funded by Sida, through a bilateral agreement, and implemented in Guatemala, Kenya, Rwanda, Senegal and Uganda. The focus was on accompanying governments and other actors involved in the strategic planning to promote youth-sensitive agrifood system development, while empowering youth to raise their voices. In every country, the knowledge generation and advocacy efforts were complemented with the piloting of innovative programmatic approaches for skills development, mentoring and incubation, as well as financial and digital inclusion.

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Videos
Boosting decent jobs for youth in the agrifood system
Boosting decent jobs for youth in the agrifood system
08/03/2024

Young people play a key role in accelerating the sustainable transformation of agrifood systems. Despite that, low pay, little access to land finance and knowledge often push youth to turn away from agriculture. To tackle these challenges, since 2011, FAO has been implementing the Integrated Country Approach (ICA) for boosting decent jobs for youth in the agrifood system in Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean.

Creating jobs in agriculture for youth with disabilities in Kenya
Creating jobs in agriculture for youth with disabilities in Kenya
03/12/2023

Many talented youth with disabilities face challenges in accessing decent jobs. Promoting quality work opportunities is essential to break the vicious cycle of poverty and exclusion.

Key publications
Integrated Country Approach (ICA) for boosting decent jobs for youth in the agrifood system – Fourth phase (2024–2027)
13/11/2024

Integrated Country Approach (ICA) for boosting decent jobs for youth in the agrifood system: youth financial inclusion - Country experiences and lessons learned
25/07/2023

This brief presents the lessons learned in the domain of youth financial inclusion emerging from the implementation of the project “Integrated Country Approach (ICA) for boosting decent jobs for youth in the agrifood system”. The ICA project, funded primarily by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida), is currently being implemented (for the 2019-2023 period), by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), in Guatemala, Kenya, Rwanda, Senegal, and Uganda. The brief illustrates a range of experiences and models proposed by the ICA project and its partners to facilitate youth access to formal financial services. It presents key lessons derived from the project’s experience, including the importance of enhancing youth financial literacy and their awareness of the available offer of financial services, as well as the need to introduce innovations aimed at adapting the offer of local financial services to youth’s specific needs.