Peer-reviewed article
Child Labour in Agriculture – Trade Issue
Christian Martin Häberli ·
Summary
Written by AI, not yet AICS's view · claude-haiku-4-5-20251001Agriculture is the largest sector for child labour globally, accounting for 59 per cent of all child labourers (over 98 million children) and is one of the three most dangerous work sectors. While much child labour occurs on family farms where impacts may seem less dramatic than in manufacturing or mining, research from Uganda, India, Paraguay and other countries shows that land reform programmes without efficient labour markets can actually increase child labour by reducing schooling and leisure time.
Key points
- Agriculture accounts for 59 per cent of all child labour globally, affecting over 98 million children
- Agriculture is one of the three most dangerous sectors for work-related fatalities, accidents, and occupational diseases
- Most agricultural child labour occurs on smallholder family farms
- Land reform programmes can increase child labour when efficient labour markets are absent
- Increased child labour from land reform comes at the cost of schooling and leisure time
Limitations
The document provides aggregate statistics and references a single 2011 study but does not detail the study's methodology, sample size, or specific findings from each country. It does not explain the mechanisms through which land reform affects child labour decisions.
Abstract
According to ILO/IPEC, Agriculture, including livestock production, fishing and aquaculture, is by far the most important sector where child labour is found, accounting for 59 per cent of all those in child labour, and over 98 million children in absolute terms. Moreover, agriculture is one of the three most dangerous sectors in terms of work-related fatalities, non-fatal accidents, and occupational diseases. However, arguably both social concerns and the economic impact may be less dramatic in agriculture than in manufacturing, mining and other hazardous employment, because it consists primarily of work on smallholder family farms. Yet, an 2011 Agricultural Household Model study in Uganda, India, Paraguay and other countries found that in the absence of efficient labour markets, land ownership and land reform programmes can actually increase child labour at the cost of schooling and/or leisure time.
Findings the Hub has extracted
Each claim below is labelled by its type of design and links back to this report.
- Intervention
- Land ownership and land reform programmes
- Population
- Households in Uganda, India, Paraguay and other countries
Key finding
In the absence of efficient labour markets, land ownership and land reform programmes increase child labour