The food economy is experiencing rapid transformation across West Africa as a result of the impact of rapid urbanisation and rising household income, creating considerable opportunities for employment generation. The food and agriculture sector employs two-thirds of the total regional workforce. Although agriculture accounts for the vast majority of jobs, there is increasing labour demand for food-related jobs in the service sector and manufacturing with significantly positive implications for women and youth.
The webinar will feature a presentation by Philipp Heinrigs, Senior Economist, SWAC and co-author of the recent SWAC West Africa paper, ‘Agriculture, Food and Jobs in West Africa’.
This will be followed by panel remarks from
Ousman Djibo (Project Manager, Agricultural Policy and Food Security, GIZ),
Thomas Reardon (Professor, Michigan State University),
Saweda Liverpool-Tasie (Assistant Professor, Michigan State University) and
Ileana Grandelis (Rural Employment Officer, FAO)
The panel will be followed by an online interactive Q&A session, discussing:
- Shifts in labour demand within West Africa’s food systems and drivers for off-farm employment
- Emerging spatial implications, in particular rural-urban linkages and rural employment diversification
- Policy considerations for designing targeted employment strategies that leverage the links between agricultural productivity, off-farm employment and rural-urban areas, particularly for youth and women
Register by Friday, 22 June
