Sector Jobs Resilience Plan (SJRP) Agriculture value chain
This paper examines farm labour in South Africa, especially in relation to the negative impact of climate change on labour demand and practices. It assesses the vulnerabilities facing farm workers; analyses the ways climate shocks and technological adaptation are reshaping agricultural labour
demand; evaluates the strengths and limitations of existing ALMPs; and identifies key elements of a climate-responsive ALMP framework tailored to the realities of farmworkers and rural economies.
Summary of the SJRP:
This paper outlines preliminary proposals for a SJRP focused on the agricultural value chain. The need for such a plan is urgent, as climate change – particularly rising temperatures, more frequent and intense droughts and floods – poses a serious risk to low-income gardening households, small-scale farmers and farmworkers. Farmworkers specifically have already experienced significant job and income losses due to drought conditions, while emerging farmers and household gardeners in historic labour-sending regions have faced declining production levels. The proposed SJRP for the agricultural value chain is designed to mitigate the adverse effects of climate change on vulnerable groups in the sector, particularly farmworkers, small-scale farmers and household gardeners in historic labour-sending regions. The proposed SJRP focuses on five key strategies:
1) Clarifying institutional responsibility within government for the implementation and oversight of the SJRP.
2) Accelerating the adoption and dissemination of climate adaptation technologies and support to reduce job and income losses among farmworkers and small-scale farmers.
3) Supporting economic diversification in communities that are heavily dependent on agriculture, to build resilience and alternative livelihood options.
4) Facilitating labour market transitions for farmworkers affected by climate-related job losses, through targeted active labour market policies.
5) Providing income support for households involved in agriculture and farmworkers during periods of severe climate stress, ensuring that affected households, small-scale farmers and farmworkers can maintain basic livelihoods and food security.
Key insights:
-Climate change is undermining agricultural employment and food security, and is a risk multiplier.
-Structural inequality persists in the sector, and this is worsened by climate change.
-Effective institutional coordination is critical - climate change is cross-sectoral, cross-departmental.
-Protecting farmworkers' jobs requires an integrated policy mix of combining climate adaptation measures, economic diversification of farm‑town economies, and tailored active labour market policies to prevent climate‑related disruptions from becoming permanent job losses
-Social protection is necessary for a Just Transition in agriculture, as many farmworkers and poor rural households cannot realistically transition into new employment and therefore will need climate-responsive support.
Research Papers:
*The SJRP's follows from the NEVA paper and should be read in tandem with it.