Driving Economic Empowerment and Supporting Labor Rights Across the Continent
May is a month to celebrate the dignity of work and the vital role workers play in shaping our economies. As we commemorate International Workers’ Day, it is essential to recognize one of Africa's most critical yet often overlooked labor forces; smallholder farmers. These farmers, who make up more than 60% of Sub-Saharan Africa’s workforce, are the backbone of the continent’s food systems and a key driver of local economies.
Yet despite their importance, millions of farmers across Africa still grapple with economic insecurity, much of it rooted in the post-harvest losses that plague the agri-food system. As much as 37% of food produced in Sub-Saharan Africa is lost after harvest, according to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), mostly due to poor storage, lack of market access, and inefficient supply chains. This is not just a food security issue, it is a labor rights and economic empowerment issue.
Food Waste is Economic Waste
When crops fail to reach the market, farmers lose income. This loss extends beyond the fields to the transporters, market vendors, and agro-processors who rely on steady supply for their livelihoods. The African Union estimates that post-harvest food losses cost the continent an estimated $4 billion annually. That is $4 billion in lost wages, unrealized profits, and missed opportunities for investment in rural economies.
For smallholder farmers, many of whom live on less than $1.90 a day, the inability to monetize a significant portion of their harvest traps them in cycles of poverty and vulnerability. Women, who make up about 50% of the agricultural labor force in Sub-Saharan Africa, are particularly affected, as they often have less access to land, technology, and financing.
Reducing post-harvest loss is therefore not just a technical or logistical challenge, it is a matter of equity and workers’ rights. When food reaches markets efficiently, it fuels livelihoods, raises incomes, and gives farmers the power to reinvest in their land, educate their children, and access health care, basic economic rights that every worker deserves.
Data-Driven Market Linkages: A New Era for Farmers
Fortunately, a new wave of data-driven platforms and agri-tech solutions is transforming how food moves from farm to market. By leveraging software technology, satellite data, and digital logistics platforms, these tools enable farmers to access market insights, forecast demand, and connect their produce with buyers.
These platforms don’t just help farmers to sell more, they empower them to negotiate better, plan smarter, and invest confidently. This is economic agency in action: farmers taking control of their productivity and income, and becoming active participants in their local economies.
The Ripple Effect: Jobs, Growth, and National Development
When food gets to market efficiently, the entire value chain benefits. Transporters, aggregators, storage operators, processors, and retailers all see increased activity. This supports the creation of non-farm jobs, a crucial need in Africa, where 12 million young people enter the workforce each year, but only 3 million formal jobs are created, according to the African Development Bank.
Moreover, improved food systems contribute to national GDP. Agriculture already accounts for about 23% of Sub-Saharan Africa’s GDP, and addressing food waste could add billions in additional economic value. That is money that can be reinvested in infrastructure, health, and education, public goods that elevate the quality of life for workers across sectors.
Empowerment through Dignified Work
At its core, this is about recognizing that every harvest represents labor, skill, and time. Letting food go to waste means letting workers’ efforts go unrecognized. By ensuring more of that food reaches consumers, we honor the labor that produced it. We support farmers not just as food producers, but as entrepreneurs, innovators, and contributors to national growth.
This May, as we celebrate International Workers’ Day, let us commit to building food systems that respect and empower the millions of rural Africans who toil to feed the continent. Reducing post-harvest loss through smart, data-driven solutions is not just a win for agriculture, it is a win for economic justice, labor rights, and long-term prosperity.
-- Peter Musyoki
Lima Technologies