Children's contribution to working and caring for the land: the links between agriculture and children’s rights

This paper seeks to outline some of the linkages that exist between the rights of children and agricultural programming in international development.

Many children actively participate in agriculture as a contribution to their family’s income level or overall productivity. Home-based agricultural activities account for most of the unpaid labour of children in Africa, Asia and Latin America, and children also migrate with families in search of seasonal agricultural employment.

The authors identify several programming elements that illustrate ‘good practices’:

• children actively participate in defining programming interventions, identifying the advantages and disadvantages of programming approaches, especially regarding direct interventions that affect them
• programmes provide young people with learning opportunities or technical support, such as the provision of environmental management and agricultural skills training, technical support, access to credit, materials or land
• programmes target girls and women and ensure their participation
• educational opportunities are provided through formal or non-formal education at times and seasons compatible with work obligations.