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Jobs for Rural Youth

The Role of Local Food Economies

Today, the global youth population is at its highest ever and still growing, with the highest proportion of youth living in Africa and Asia, and a majority of them in rural areas. Young people in rural areas face the double challenge of age-specific vulnerabilities and underdevelopment of rural areas. While agriculture absorbs the majority of rural workers in developing countries, low pay and poor working conditions make it difficult to sustain rural livelihoods. Potential job opportunities for rural youth exist in agriculture and along the agri-food value chain, however. Growing populations, urbanisation and rising incomes of the working class are increasing demand for more diverse and higher value added agricultural and food products in Africa and developing Asia. This demand will create a need for off-farm labour, especially in agribusinesses, which tends to be better paid and located in rural areas and secondary towns. It could boost job creation in the food economy provided that local food systems were mobilised to take up the challenge of higher and changing domestic demand for food.

Published on December 02, 2021

In series:Development Centre Studiesview more titles

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Foreword
Executive summary
Where tomorrow’s jobs are: Feeding local and regional markets
The food economy today: Low productivity and bad jobs
Booming demand: A new dawn for local food economies
Turning local food economies into engines for more and better jobs
Policy options to stimulate local food economies
Methodological annex
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