More than 80 per cent of agricultural employment in Latin America continues to operate under informal labour arrangements, disproportionately affecting women, youth and older persons in rural areas, according to a new report by the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), titled Decent Work and Informality in the Agricultural Sector of Latin America, 2019-2023 (full report available in Spanish only).
The report identifies structural gaps in productivity, income and access to social protection as persistent barriers to advancing decent work in the sector. Despite its vital role in food security, agricultural employment continues to face challenges related to low levels of education, precarious working conditions, and high exposure to environmental and climate-related risks.
Informality remains one of the most entrenched obstacles to social justice and sustainable development in Latin America. This report provides a roadmap to tackle it through integrated policies with a territorial approach
Ana Virginia Moreira, ILO Regional Director for Latin America and the Caribbean
"The study aligns with ILO Recommendation No. 204, the FORLAC 2.0 strategy, and the Joint Programme currently being developed by both organizations to accelerate the formalization of rural employment," Moreira Gomes added.
"Securing decent work in the agricultural sector is not only about improving labour conditions; it is about strengthening our countries' resilience, ensuring food security for millions, and enhancing the region's capacity to face global challenges," emphasized René Orellana, FAO Assistant Director-General and Regional Representative for Latin America and the Caribbean. He also called for stronger rural digitalization, sustained financing and inclusive social dialogue.
According to the report, the informal employment rate among women is 86.4 per cent, compared to 78 per cent among men. Some 38.5 per cent of women are engaged in unpaid family work, five times the rate observed among men. The sector also accounts for 46 per cent of all child labour in the region, and over half of the workforce has low educational attainment. Seasonal work patterns, lack of formal contracts and part-time schedules further undermine job quality.
Between 2019 and 2023, the overall volume of agricultural employment remained stable, but with no significant progress towards formalization. Nearly half of all young people in the sector and the vast majority of women continue to work informally.
The report also examines 35 public policy initiatives across the region. While many aim to enhance rural productivity, few explicitly target employment formalization or incorporate a clear gender perspective.
Importantly, the report outlines ten concrete policy recommendations to accelerate the transition to formality and ensure decent work in the agricultural sector. These measures, grounded in evidence and regional experience, seek to integrate productive development, social protection, labour rights and social dialogue-transforming high informality into sustainable opportunities for millions of rural workers.
Both organizations reaffirm their commitment to supporting governments, employers and workers in designing and implementing integrated policies that can turn the agricultural sector into a true driver of decent employment, food security and sustainability across Latin America. This is not just an aspiration-it is an urgent imperative to ensure that the sector's productive dynamism translates into real opportunities and a fairer future for rural communities.
