Advancing social protection in rural Africa

This report aims to provide an illustrative and insightful overview of FAO's work in social protection across Africa. Produced by the FAO Regional Office for Africa, the publication showcases a range of innovative and impactful projects that have contributed to enhancing the livelihoods and resilience of vulnerable populations. It features examples from Côte d'Ivoire, Ethiopia, Eswatini, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Somalia, Uganda and Zambia. The report explores how FAO's initiatives have effectively integrated social protection with agriculture and rural development, addressing challenges such as food insecurity, poverty and climate change.

The pilot program provided the following takeaways:

• Through the pilot, intensive training was provided to 137 persons, including cooperative leaders and members, enhancing their capabilities in cooperative management, social protection, and universal health coverage;
• Cooperatives, including women's groups, received direct support, improving their operational efficacy and setting a precedent for further cooperative involvement in social protection;
• The pilot project demonstrated an effective approach for advancing social protection for rural informal workers and making the social protection system more inclusive, also promoting gender-sensitive and responsive social protection systems as the majority of women in Côte d'Ivoire are employed in the informal rural economy.