ACTING TOGETHER TO ELIMINATE CHILD LABOUR IN AGRICULTURE

Almost 70 percent of all children engaged in child labour were in agriculture and this is the only sector in recent years that has seen an increase in child labour – delegates were told during the 5th Global Conference on the Elimination of Child Labour. 

Bernd Seiffert, Focal Point for Child Labour in Agriculture, Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations said the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic have pushed more children further into child labour.  

Seiffert said eliminating child labour in the agricultural sector was a collective effort among all stakeholders. He said agriculture needs cross-sectoral solutions where stakeholders work together to eliminate child labour.  

He identified: quality education, vocational training, social protection, women’s empowerment, climate-smart practices, proper natural resources management and collaboration between the ministries of agriculture, labour and employment as some of the policy instruments that can be used to eliminate child labour in the agriculture sector.