This OECD West African Paper analyses the role of the food economy as the largest source of employment in West Africa, accounting for approximately 66% of total jobs, or more than 80 million people. While agriculture remains the dominant employer, the report shows that off-farm food system activities—such as food processing, marketing, transport, retail, and food-away-from-home services—are growing rapidly due to population growth, urbanisation, and changing diets. Using household surveys and labour data, the paper examines employment across agriculture, processing, marketing, and food services, highlighting strong rural–urban linkages and spatial differences between countries. It places particular emphasis on youth and women, showing that women dominate off-farm food activities and that youth increasingly transition into non-agricultural segments of the food system as education levels rise. The report concludes that well-designed jobs strategies must adopt a food-system approach, linking agricultural productivity with value-chain development, skills training, SME support, and improved rural–urban connectivity to ensure inclusive employment growth across West Africa.
Resource type:
Peer review