Publication: Future of Food: Shaping the Food System to Deliver Jobs
Date
2017-04-01
ISSN
Published
2017-04-01
Author(s)
Townsend, Robert
Benfica, Rui Manuel
Prasann, Ashesh
Lee, Maria
Abstract
Shaping the Food System to Deliver Jobs
is the fourth paper in a series on The Future of Food. This
paper focuses on how the food system can deliver jobs. It
provides a framework for understanding the factors
determining the number and quality of jobs in the food
system, including inclusion of women and youth. It
highlights a set of actions that countries can adopt, adapt,
and apply to their own circumstances to enhance the food
system’s contribution to jobs. The food system extends
beyond farm production to include food storage, processing,
distribution, transport, retailing, restaurants and other
services. The paper finds that the food system employs the
most people in many developing countries in both self and
wage employment, and will continue to do so for the
foreseeable future. In many countries the off-farm aspect of
the food system accounts for a large share of the economy’s
manufacturing and services sectors. While the employment
share in farming tends to decline as per capita incomes
rise, the share in food manufacturing and services tends to
increase. Urbanization and per capita income growth offers
significant new opportunities in non-cereal products and in
new jobs in the food system beyond the farm.
Citation
“Townsend, Robert; Benfica, Rui Manuel; Prasann, Ashesh; Lee, Maria. 2017. Future of Food : Shaping the Food System to Deliver Jobs. © World Bank, Washington, DC. http://openknowledge.worldbank.org/handle/10986/26506 License: CC BY 3.0 IGO.”