Module 5 | Decent Rural Employment | Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

Promoting safe, regular and orderly migration for the development of rural areas

Migration brings both opportunities and challenges to agrifood systems and rural communities. Guided by the FAO Migration Framework, FAO is committed to supporting countries in achieving the objectives of the Global Compact for Migration, and to making migration a choice and an opportunity for rural populations.

FAO addresses the adverse drivers of migration and maximizes its benefits. This is done by creating alternatives to migration and improving skills on agribusiness and climate-smart agriculture for prospective and returning migrants in rural areas. In addition, through matching programmes, FAO facilitates the transfer of diaspora skills and resources towards agribusiness and climate adaptation. FAO also promotes good practices on decent work to protect the rights of migrants working in agrifood systems.

As a knowledge-based organization, FAO generates evidence and develops the capacities of national and local governments to formulate, implement and evaluate policies and programmes, delivering concrete support and testing innovative approaches on the ground.

FAO is the UN specialized agency that leads international efforts to defeat hunger and achieve food security for all. As such, it is uniquely positioned to address rural migration, thanks to its technical expertise in agribusiness and food value chains, rural livelihoods and climate action. FAO also acts as a neutral broker and bridge between migration, climate change and agriculture stakeholders, creating the conditions for multistakeholder policy dialogue.

By testing innovative approaches, FAO supports national and local governments in adapting and scaling up solutions along the humanitarian–development–peace nexus to reduce the challenges associated with migration and promote safe and regular migration. The Organization counts on its network of 150 Country, Subregional and Regional Offices, and its strong presence in rural areas to achieve concrete impact on the ground.

By raising awareness of the critical role migration plays in rural development and climate action, FAO helps to shape emerging global, regional and national agendas on migration, and strives to increase coherence between migration and agrifood system policies.

FAO works on migration through an integrated approach that builds on four priorities for action:

Managing climate mobility. FAO works on key dimensions of climate mobility from a rural livelihoods perspective. FAO enhances the capacity of rural populations to adapt to climate change through the adoption of climate-adaptive agricultural practices and the sustainable use of natural resources. It facilitates migrants’ and diaspora’s contribution to climate action and supports governments in integrating human mobility considerations into climate policies and programmes.
Creating alternatives to migration and reintegrating migrants in rural areas. FAO works on addressing the adverse drivers of migration and reintegrating migrants in rural areas, with a focus on women and youth. The Organization provides training and incubation services to prospective and returning migrants and family members who stay behind to create viable opportunities in agrifood systems, and supports them in accessing tailored financial services, inputs (such as farm equipment, fertilizer, fodder), technologies and markets. FAO also supports governments in providing customized responses at local level to bring employment and reintegration support services closer to rural people and strengthens the capacities of national and local governments to act on migration.
Boosting the contribution of diaspora to agribusiness. FAO works to create the conditions for diaspora to contribute financial and non-financial resources to rural areas. In particular, FAO enhances access to information on opportunities to invest in agribusiness and climate change adaptation and facilitates matching programmes to promote diaspora investments in agribusinesses. It fosters diaspora skill transfer, through mentorship and coaching, and promotes visible role models through advocacy and awards. FAO also empowers diaspora networks to bring their voice into policy processes.
Protecting migrants working in agrifood systems. FAO advocates for improving working and living conditions for migrants to realize their right to food and decent work and promotes safe and regular labour mobility for migrants working in agrifood systems, including seasonal and temporary workers.

Generation and dissemination of knowledge on the patterns, drivers and impacts of migration to support evidence-based policymaking;
Provision of policy support and promotion of multi-stakeholder policy dialogue at global, regional and country levels to enhance coherence and coordination between migration, agrifood system and climate change policies and programmes;
Capacity development of national and local stakeholders to better incorporate migration and mobility in agrifood system and climate change policies and interventions;
Awareness raising and advocacy on the critical role migration plays in agrifood systems and climate action to shape global, regional and national agendas on migration;
Facilitation of strategic and multi-stakeholder partnerships between migration, agrifood systems and climate change stakeholders and development partners.