Bridging data gaps has the potential to create decent jobs and increase food security and investments in the agrifood sector, the ILO and other participants emphasized at a side event during the 53rd Plenary Session of the Committee on World Food Security (CFS53).
The ILO joined global partners at the Side Event "Harnessing Data for Policy Making: Advancing Food Security and Decent Jobs in Agri-Food Systems (SE34)" held at the the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in Rome and online on 24 October. The side event emphasised the value of decent work and evidence- based policy making in the agrifood sector.
Co-organized by the ILO, French Agricultural Research Centre for International Development (CIRAD), CARE International, and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), the session brought together policymakers, researchers, and development experts to explore the intersection of data, employment, and food security in a discussion about how robust data and evidence-driven policymaking can accelerate decent work creation and food security within agrifood systems.
Christine Campeau, Global Policy Director for Food and Nutrition Systems at CARE and representative of the Decent Work for Equitable Food Systems Coalition, moderated the session, during which panellists shared insights on how data-driven initiatives are helping to identify employment trends, policy gaps, and investment opportunities in the agrifood sector.
Opening the event, Frank Hagemann, Director of ILO's Sectoral Policies Department, emphasized the importance of integrating decent work principles into agri-food systems transformation and realizing its potential for decent job creation.
"Agri-food data is not just numbers - it reflects the lives and labour of millions who feed the world. Our task is to make their work visible, their rights respected, and their voices heard" said Hagemann.
Agri-food data is not just numbers - it reflects the lives and labour of millions who feed the world. Our task is to make their work visible, their rights respected, and their voices heard.
Data as a catalyst for change
The event highlighted findings from the JobAgri pilot project in Ghana, a joint initiative that leverages data to inform employment and agricultural policy decisions. By generating and analysing employment-related data within agrifood value chains, the project provides policymakers with concrete evidence to design more coherent, targeted, and inclusive agricultural and labour policies.
In his keynote address, Pierre Girard from CIRAD said, "Looking at how value chain analysis, production models, and farm structures interact, helps us better identify the right policy levers. Through JobAgri, we aim to make the invisible visible and deepen our understanding of what decent work means in the agrifood sector."
© FAO/ Cécile Berranger
The session also included insights from the Decent Work for Equitable Food Systems Coalition, co-led by IFAD, the ILO, and CARE International. The coalition aims to accelerate collective action to improve the livelihoods of food systems workers.
Participants discussed how closing data gaps can help governments and partners design better-targeted policies to strengthen agri-food value chains, improve livelihoods, and support equitable job creation, especially for young people, women and vulnerable groups.
Aligning with the CFS Agenda
This discussion built upon the outcomes of CFS52, which emphasized promoting decent work in agriculture and food systems, and looked ahead to the 2025 CFS Plenary theme on responsible investment and financing for food security and nutrition.
Looking Forward
By championing data-informed policymaking and multi-stakeholder collaboration, the ILO and its partners are working to ensure that the transition to sustainable food systems also delivers more and better jobs, particularly for rural youth and women.
