Agricultural workers and their contribution to sustainable agriculture and rural development

This report on agricultural workers and their contribution to sustainable agriculture and rural development focuses on the 450 million women and men who are employed as waged agricultural workers, and who are at the very heart of the food production system. This workforce is disadvantaged in many respects. It is among the most socially vulnerable, the least organised into trade unions, is employed under the poorest health, safety and environmental conditions, and is the least likely to have access to effective forms of social security and protection. The report demonstrates that these waged agricultural workers – who account for over 40% of the total agricultural workforce – remain largely invisible to policy- and decision-makers in governments, agricultural and rural development agencies, and many other institutions and civil society organisations. The report looks in detail at:the wage-labourer women and men and over 173 million children who make up over 40% of the agricultural workforcewhat employers, governments, agricultural and rural development agencies and other stakeholders must do to improve the social and economic well-being of waged agricultural workershow waged agricultural workers are contribute to sustainable development and food securityIn response to the specific needs of wage labourers and to strengthen their role in sustainable agriculture, the report recommends that governments and the international community:support the development and promotion of an agenda for fair and decent work in agriculture in all relevant forumssupport the application of the ILO Fundamental Principles and Rights at Workrecognise waged agricultural workers as a group distinct from farmers, and must directly work with these workers and the trade unions that represent and organise themthere must be recognition that waged agricultural workers and their trade unions already play an important role in promoting sustainable agriculture and rural development, and world food securitycould in future play a much greater role in promoting these, given proper political, technical and financial supportcooperation between the FAO and ILO is strengthened on issues of occupational safety and health, poverty elimination, gender equality and HIV/AIDSexplore the possibilities for other specialised agencies to provide the technical, policy and financial support needed to increase the contribution of waged agricultural workers to food security and sustainable developmentencourage development partners to assist countries to mainstream employment into investment policy and poverty reduction strategies