From inclusion to decent jobs and empowerment for women and youth in agrifood value chains in Sub-Saharan Africa. Policy lessons from a systematic review

Across Sub-Saharan Africa, women and youth are frequently identified as key beneficiaries of agrifood employment and value-chain development policies. However, evidence on how inclusion unfolds within agrifood value chains remains limited, particularly in relation to whether participation generates decent work, better returns and meaningful empowerment. This review examines inclusion, barriers and empowerment in agrifood value chains. The review links directly to Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 5 on gender equality, SDG 8 on decent work and economic growth and SDG 10 on reduced inequalities. Drawing on 25 years of empirical literature (2001–2025), the study synthesizes findings from 95 peer-reviewed and grey sources. Findings show that while women and youth are engaged across value chain stages from production to processing and marketing, their work is often concentrated in low-paid, informal and weakly protected roles. Inclusion does not always result in empowerment or improved livelihood security. Structural barriers including insecure land rights, limited access to finance and inadequate infrastructure constrain participation in more rewarding agrifood jobs and enterprises. Institutional barriers such as weak labour protections and limited market support. Socio-cultural norms ranging from gendered labour expectations to age-based hierarchies reinforce inequities. The review shows that inclusion must move beyond participation targets toward control, recognition, fairer rewards and better job quality. This requires multi-level interventions, sustained commitment and intersectional research approaches that connect agrifood system transformation with the creation of more, better and fairer jobs in ways that advance the employment, equality and food security ambitions of the Sustainable Development Goals.