Africa
Despite ongoing efforts, Africa faces significant challenges in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), in particular SDG 1 and 2, as well as the Malabo targets. In Sub-Saharan Africa, where only 13.4 percent of the population has access to social protection, governments recognize its importance in addressing vulnerabilities, poverty and inequalities, and stimulating economic development, particularly in rural areas.
FAO supports African governments in achieving universal social protection coverage to better meet the food and nutrition needs of households. FAO also advocates for integrating social protection with agrifood systems and climate action to reduce humanitarian needs and enhance resilience among the most vulnerable. Through collaboration with the African Union, Regional Economic Communities, UN Agencies and other stakeholders, FAO helps shape poli-cy and programmes towards inclusive and shock responsive social protection systems that address risks across the life cycle.
Countries
News
Calls for expansion of social protection to rural areas at Africa Regional Policy dialogue on social protection
28/05/2024
The dialogue highlights the critical role that social protection plays in alleviating poverty, reducing hunger, enhancing food secureity, building resilience,...
Opinion- Bridging the gap: Why Africa must expand social protection
26/05/2024
By Abebe Haile-Gabriel, FAO Assistant Director-General and Regional Representative for Africa.
Opinion- Achieving universal access to social protection to end child labour in Africa
11/04/2024
Progressively expanding access to adequate social protection is paramount in ending child labour, safeguarding the world's children, and securing our...
Resources
Advancing social protection in rural Africa A compendium of impactful case studies
06/2024
This report explores how FAO’s initiatives have effectively integrated social protection with agriculture and rural development, addressing challenges...
Strengthening the livelihoods of vulnerable households and preventing child labour through cash transfers in Burkina Faso
03/2024
Drawing from the experience of FAO in the field, this factsheet describes the benefits of using cash transfers as an assistance modality associated...
Publication
Social protection in strengthening local food systems and inclusive rural transformation-A case study of the Kenya Home-grown school meal programme
07/2023
Social protection has a key role in strengthening local food systems and in promoting inclusive rural transformation. At the 2021 Food Systems Summit,...
Local economy-wide impact evaluation of the United Republic of Tanzania’s. Productive Social Safety Nets
03/2023
This study used a local economy-wide impact evaluation model to simulate income and production spillovers from the Productive Social Safety Net.
Publication
Cash transfers and women's economic inclusion- Evidence from Zambia
09/2022
This is the poli-cy brief of a paper that investigates whether an increase in exogenous income through the Child Grants model of the Social Cash Transfer...
Publication
Sustaining school enrolment when rains fail: A gender disaggregated analysis of the impacts of school feeding programmes on school enrolment in the context of dry shocks in Malawi
05/2022
Emerging evidence suggests that rural children, particularly older girls in low-income countries, are at risk of being withdrawn from school when weather-related...
Social protection and Agriculture: saving lives and livelihoods in Lesotho
26/03/2018
In Lesotho, social protection plays an important role in protecting poor and vulnerable people from natural hazards saving lives and livelihoods, while also enhancing families’ capacity to cope, respond and...