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Agriculture, Food and Jobs in West Africa

Author

Listed:
  • Thomas Allen
  • Philipp Heinrigs
  • Inhoi Heo

Abstract

The food economy is the biggest employer in West Africa accounting for 66% of total employment. While the majority of food economy jobs are in agriculture, off-farm employment in food-related manufacturing and service activities is increasing as the food economy adapts to rapid population growth, urbanisation and rising incomes. Given the importance of the food economy in generating employment, its current structure and projected changes have major implications for the design of jobs strategies. This paper quantifies and describes the structure of employment in the food economy across four broad segments of activities: agriculture, processing, marketing and food-away-from home. It also examines some of the emerging spatial implications, in particular rural-urban linkages and rural employment diversification, which are related to the transformations that are reshaping this sector. Finally, it looks at policy considerations for designing targeted employment strategies that leverage the links between agricultural productivity, off-farm employment and rural-urban areas and ensure inclusiveness, particularly for youth and women.

Suggested Citation

  • Thomas Allen & Philipp Heinrigs & Inhoi Heo, 2018. "Agriculture, Food and Jobs in West Africa," West African Papers 14, OECD Publishing.
    • Handle: RePEc:oec:swacaa:14-en
    DOI: 10.1787/dc152bc0-en
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Christiaensen, Luc & Rutledge, Zachariah & Taylor, J. Edward, 2020. "The Future of Work in Agriculture - Some Reflections," Jobs Group Papers, Notes, and Guides 32012537, The World Bank.
    2. Christiaensen, Luc & Rutledge, Zachariah & Taylor, J. Edward, 2021. "Viewpoint: The future of work in agri-food," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 99(C).
    3. Sophie Bruin & Just Dengerink & Jasper Vliet, 2021. "Urbanisation as driver of food system transformation and opportunities for rural livelihoods," Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food, Springer;The International Society for Plant Pathology, vol. 13(4), pages 781-798, August.
    4. Van, Germinal, 2020. "The Effect of Economic Sectors on the National Income of West African Economies from 2010 to 2019: A Multiple Regression Analysis," MPRA Paper 102417, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    5. Benjamin Davis & Leslie Lipper & Paul Winters, 2022. "Do not transform food systems on the backs of the rural poor," Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food, Springer;The International Society for Plant Pathology, vol. 14(3), pages 729-740, June.
    6. Admkew Haile, 2023. "Barriers And Prospects Of Agribusiness Financing In Sub-Saharan Africa: A Review Of Literature," Working papers 2023-45-07, Voice of Research.
    7. Sophie de Bruin & Just Denerink & Pritpal Randhawa & Idrissa Wade & Hester Biemans & Christian Siderius, 2022. "IFAD Research Series 71: Urbanizing food systems: exploring opportunities for rural transformation," IFAD Research Series 320721, International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD).
    8. Biggeri, Mario & Carraro, Alessandro & Ciani, Federico & Romano, Donato, 2022. "Disentangling the impact of a multiple-component project on SDG dimensions: The case of durum wheat value chain development in Oromia (Ethiopia)," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 153(C).
    9. Benjamin Davis & Leslie Lipper & Paul Winters, 2022. "IFAD Research Series 70: Do not transform food systems on the backs of the rural poor," IFAD Research Series 320710, International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD).

    More about this item

    Keywords

    employment; food system; value chains; women; youth;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J21 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Labor Force and Employment, Size, and Structure
    • J43 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Particular Labor Markets - - - Agricultural Labor Markets
    • O11 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Macroeconomic Analyses of Economic Development
    • Q13 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Agriculture - - - Agricultural Markets and Marketing; Cooperatives; Agribusiness
    • Q18 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Agriculture - - - Agricultural Policy; Food Policy; Animal Welfare Policy

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