Report on Child Labour in African Agriculture: A Barrier to Sustainable Development Goals

Executive Summary

Child labour in Africa, particularly within the agricultural sector, represents a significant crisis that directly contravenes multiple Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). With over 92 million children affected, the practice undermines efforts to achieve SDG 1 (No Poverty), SDG 4 (Quality Education), SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth), and SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production). This report analyzes the scale of the problem, its root causes, its connection to global supply chains, and outlines a multi-stakeholder approach required to meet SDG Target 8.7, which calls for the elimination of child labour in all its forms.

The Scale of the Crisis and its Conflict with SDG 8 and SDG 4

Prevalence and Nature of Child Labour

The persistence of child labour in Africa is a direct challenge to the achievement of SDG 8, particularly Target 8.7. The statistics highlight the severity of the issue:

• Globally, 160 million children are engaged in child labour, with Africa accounting for over half at 92 million.
• An estimated 70% of global child labour is in the agricultural sector.
• In sub-Saharan Africa, agriculture accounts for 85% of all child labour, involving approximately 61 million children.

This widespread issue prevents access to quality education, a cornerstone of SDG 4. During farming seasons, classrooms in many regions are nearly empty as children, some as young as five, are required for agricultural work. They are often exposed to hazardous conditions, including sharp tools, pesticides, and heavy loads, which constitutes one of the worst forms of child labour.

Country-Specific Case Studies

1. Uganda: The number of children aged 5-17 in paid labour more than doubled from 2.4 million in 2016/17 to 6.2 million in 2021. This surge is heavily concentrated in coffee-growing districts where child labour is utilized during peak harvests.
2. Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana: In the cocoa sector, approximately 1.48 million children are involved in hazardous farming activities, representing nearly half of all children in farming households in these regions.

Systemic Drivers: A Challenge to SDG 1 (No Poverty)

The Intergenerational Cycle of Poverty

The primary driver of child labour is extreme poverty, creating a vicious cycle that undermines SDG 1. Families are often forced to rely on their children’s labour for immediate survival due to:

• Seasonal income shortfalls
• Inability to afford school fees
• Lack of alternative livelihood options

By pulling children out of school, this practice severely limits their future prospects, ensuring they remain in low-wage labour as adults and perpetuating the cycle of intergenerational poverty.

Global Supply Chains and SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production)

Connecting Local Exploitation to Global Demand

The demand for agricultural commodities in the global market is intrinsically linked to child labour in Africa, posing a challenge to SDG 12. Consumers worldwide purchase products whose supply chains are often tainted by child exploitation.

• Cocoa: Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana supply at least half of the world’s chocolate production.
• Coffee: Uganda, Kenya, and Ethiopia are major suppliers for the global coffee market.
• Tea and Fish: Exports from Kenya and Uganda reach markets across Europe and Asia.

Achieving SDG 12 requires greater transparency and accountability from multinational corporations to ensure their supply chains are free from child labour. Consumers also have a role in demanding ethically sourced and certified products.

A Multi-Stakeholder Path Forward to Achieve SDG Targets

Current Interventions

Efforts are underway to combat child labour, demonstrating that progress toward SDG 8.7 is possible through coordinated action.

1. The CLEAR Supply Chains Project: A UN-led initiative in Uganda’s coffee sector that combines community awareness with monitoring systems to build resilience against child labour.
2. The ACCEL Africa Initiative: A program in Kenya targeting tea and coffee supply chains by pairing public policy reform with grassroots education to reduce child exploitation.

Recommendations for Action

Eradicating child labour requires a comprehensive approach involving governments, corporations, and consumers, aligned with the principles of the SDGs.

• Governments: Must strengthen social protection systems to reduce family dependency on child labour and increase investment in accessible, quality rural education (SDG 1, SDG 4, SDG 16).
• Corporations: Must be held accountable for labour conditions within their supply chains, promoting transparency and ethical sourcing (SDG 12).
• Consumers: Can leverage their power to demand ethically sourced products and support fair trade initiatives, contributing to responsible consumption patterns (SDG 12).

Ending child labour in African agriculture is a moral and economic imperative essential for achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. It is a shared responsibility to ensure that no child’s future is sacrificed for a harvested bean, leaf, or pod.

Analysis of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

The article on child labor in African agriculture addresses several interconnected Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The analysis reveals connections to the following goals:

• SDG 1: No Poverty – The article explicitly identifies poverty as a primary driver of child labor, stating that “Poverty, seasonal demands of work, and no alternative options for schooling keep children in the marketable labour business.” It also highlights how child labor perpetuates a “cycle of intergenerational low-wage labour,” preventing families from escaping poverty.
• SDG 4: Quality Education – A direct consequence of child labor discussed is the lack of education. The article opens by stating that “classrooms remain almost empty during farming season” and later notes that “Children who drop out of school to work have a very small chance of escaping poverty.” The need for “investment is crucial in rural education” is presented as a key solution.
• SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth – This is the central theme of the article. The entire discussion revolves around the issue of “child labour,” which is a core concern of SDG 8. The article details the dangerous and exploitative working conditions, the lack of pay (“little to no pay”), and the need to eliminate this practice.
• SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production – The article connects the local issue of child labor to global economic systems, noting that items like coffee and cocoa are part of a “global supply chain.” It calls for “Global accountability” from corporations and encourages consumers to “demand ethically sourced products,” directly linking consumption patterns to labor practices in production.
• SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions – The article discusses child “exploitation” and the need for “public policy reform” and “stronger social protection systems” to protect children. This aligns with SDG 16’s aim to end abuse and exploitation of children and build effective, accountable institutions.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

Based on the issues and solutions presented in the article, the following specific SDG targets can be identified:

1. Target 8.7: End child labour in all its forms by 2025. This is the most directly relevant target. The article’s entire focus is on the prevalence of child labor in African agriculture, citing statistics from the ILO and UNICEF and calling for its eradication. The text explicitly discusses the need to “tackle child labour” and “eliminate child exploitation.”
2. Target 4.1: Ensure that all girls and boys complete free, equitable and quality primary and secondary education. The article establishes a clear link between child labor and school absenteeism, stating that “classrooms remain almost empty during farming season” and that children “drop out of school to work.” The call for accessible schools as an alternative to labor directly supports this target.
3. Target 1.3: Implement nationally appropriate social protection systems. The article proposes solutions that align with this target, arguing that eradication “requires stronger social protection systems to reduce families’ dependence on child labour” and that “When families have financial support… child labour numbers fall.”
4. Target 16.2: End abuse, exploitation, trafficking and all forms of violence against and torture of children. The description of children’s work as hazardous—using “machetes, carry heavy sacks, and apply toxic pesticides”—constitutes a form of child exploitation and abuse that this target aims to eliminate.
5. Target 12.6: Encourage companies to adopt sustainable practices and integrate sustainability information into their reporting. The article calls for “Global accountability” to ensure “major corporations buying coffee, cocoa, and tea are transparent and responsible for labour conditions within their own supply chains,” which directly reflects the aim of this target.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

The article mentions and implies several indicators that can be used to measure progress:

• Indicator 8.7.1: Proportion and number of children aged 5-17 years engaged in child labour. This indicator is explicitly used throughout the article. It provides precise figures, such as “globally more than 160 million children are still engaged in child labour, with Africa accounting for… 92 million children.” It also tracks this indicator over time in Uganda, noting a rise from “2.4 million children in paid labour… in 2016/17, to a staggering 6.2 million in 2021.”
• Implied Indicator: School enrollment and attendance rates. While not providing specific data, the article strongly implies this as a key metric by stating that “classrooms remain almost empty during farming season.” A reduction in child labor would presumably lead to an increase in school attendance, which could be measured to track progress.
• Implied Indicator: Number of children engaged in hazardous work. The article highlights the dangerous nature of the work, which is a key component of the “worst forms of child labour.” It provides a specific number for this: “Around 1.48 million children are involved in hazardous cocoa farming” in Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana. This can be used as an indicator for measuring the elimination of the most harmful forms of child labor.
• Implied Indicator: Corporate transparency and accountability in supply chains. The call for corporations to be “transparent and responsible for labour conditions” implies that the number of companies adopting and reporting on ethical sourcing policies would be a valid indicator of progress toward responsible production.

4. Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: thred.com