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Program

Transformations in agrifood value chains and food systems, both in the North and in the South and in their North/South linkage, impact and address the dynamics of work and employment in agriculture and along the chain. Those transformations imply decisions about market, extrinsic and intrinsic value attributes, innovation and channel strategies (single or multi-channel), and the length and width of the chain (the number of stages – long or short chains; the number and density of horizontal / collective arrangements), among others. It includes, for example, new forms of production, technologies, logistics, labor processes and organizational relations and networks. It comprises the search for new markets (value adding), changes in network structure (network position), and new governance and organizational forms.

Studies on food systems and value chain relates to work and employment issues in different ways. From a global approach, mainly related to social standards and decent work. From a local perspective, there are other work and employment issues. For instance, upgrading to organic and agroecological production affects and depends on work organization, job qualification, job satisfaction, etc. Upgrading towards higher-quality production may imply changes on work organization, gendered labor, job qualification, etc. The transformations in value chain and food systems and their connection to work and employment are beyond value chain governance and social standards.

The International Association on Agricultural Labor (IAWA) proposes a webinar to share with you the knowledge and current research on the place of work and employment in value chains’ and food systems’ transformations. The idea is to move forward discussions on the theme, having following key question: how do strategies and mechanisms for value chain and food systems transformations address different work and employment issues?

Starting with an overview of the thematic, from scientometric and conceptual points of view, the webinar will bring together experts  to present their experience on the subject, from the North and the South, and different contexts and chain designs.

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Read the report of discussions and the synthesis