Thumbnail Image

FAO’s work on social protection in the Africa region

Highlights from the year 2024

Copyright licence

Year of publication 2025

Place of publication Rome, Italy ;

Pages 14 p.

Author FAO

Publisher FAO ;

Category Brochure

Synopsis (short abstract) Social protection plays a critical role in reducing vulnerabilities, supporting agricultural workers, and improving productivity and employability, thereby contributing to inclusive and sustainable growth. Embedding social protection within broader rural development and agrifood system transformation strategies is essential to enhancing the economic inclusion of poor and marginalized populations, safeguarding their food and nutrition security, and strengthening resilience and adaptation to climate-related shocks.In 2024, the FAO Social Protection Team at the Regional Office for Africa intensified its support to governments and other stakeholders to design and implement inclusive social protection systems that complement and strengthen agrifood systems through various initiatives and approaches. This brief highlights some of the key regional-level results achieved in 2024.

Cite this content as:

FAO. 2025. FAO's work on social protection in the Africa region - Highlights from the year 2024. Accra.

Language English

Also available in:
No results found.

Related items

Showing items related by metadata.

  • Thumbnail Image
    Technical study
    Advancing social protection in rural Africa
    A compendium of impactful case studies
    2024
    Also available in:
    No results found.
    This report aims to provide an illustrative and insightful overview of FAO’s work in social protection across Africa. Produced by the FAO Regional Office for Africa, the publication showcases a range of innovative and impactful projects that have contributed to enhancing the livelihoods and resilience of vulnerable populations. It features examples from Côte d’Ivoire, Ethiopia, Eswatini, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Somalia, Uganda and Zambia. The report explores how FAO’s initiatives have effectively integrated social protection with agriculture and rural development, addressing challenges such as food insecurity, poverty and climate change. Aimed at policymakers and practitioners, the publication’s intent is to foster knowledge-sharing, stimulate dialogue and encourage the replication of successful models in other countries and contexts.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Policy brief
    Recommendations from the First Regional Policy Dialogue on Social Protection for Rural Populations in Africa 2025
    Also available in:
    No results found.
    Despite sustained economic growth in sub-Saharan Africa, rural poverty, food insecurity, and malnutrition remain pervasive. These challenges are most acute in rural areas, where livelihoods, incomes, and food security are closely tied to agrifood systems. Addressing these challenges requires comprehensive and inclusive social protection systems embedded within integrated rural development and agrifood system transformation strategies. Such approaches are essential to promote the economic inclusion of poor and vulnerable rural populations, safeguard their food and nutrition security, and strengthen their resilience capacities to climate-related shocks.FAO and the Regional Universities Forum for Capacity Building in Agriculture (RUFORUM) convened a Regional Policy Dialogue on strengthening social protection systems for rural populations. The Dialogue reviewed the current state of social protection in Africa’s rural areas, identified emerging issues and trends, examined gaps in coverage and financing, and provided strategic actions and recommendations to support African countries in advancing the SDGs and the Africa Agenda 2063. This brief summarizes the key recommendations from the Regional Policy Dialogue for strengthening social protection systems in Africa for inclusive rural transformation.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Meeting document
    Report on First Regional Policy Dialogue on Social Protection for Rural Populations in Africa 2025
    Also available in:
    No results found.
    Despite sustained economic growth in sub-Saharan Africa, rural poverty, food insecurity, and malnutrition remain pervasive. The region continues to record the world’s highest prevalence of undernourishment. Recent global shocks—including climate-related disasters, the COVID-19 pandemic, and ongoing conflicts—have further hindered progress toward achieving SDG 1 (No Poverty) and SDG 2 (Zero Hunger). These challenges are most acute in rural areas, where livelihoods, incomes, and food security are closely tied to agrifood systems.Accelerating progress requires comprehensive and inclusive social protection systems embedded within integrated rural development and agrifood system transformation strategies. Such approaches are essential to promote the economic inclusion of poor and vulnerable rural populations, safeguard their food and nutrition security, and strengthen resilience and adaptation to climate-related shocks.FAO and the Regional Universities Forum for Capacity Building in Agriculture (RUFORUM) convened a Regional Policy Dialogue on strengthening social protection systems for rural populations. The Dialogue reviewed the current state of social protection in Africa’s rural areas, identified emerging issues and trends, examined gaps in coverage and financing, and proposed strategic actions to support African countries in advancing the SDGs and the Africa Agenda 2063. It also generated key insights to inform FAO’s development of a Regional Social Protection Framework for Africa.
Show more

Users also downloaded

Showing related downloaded files

No results found.