Stakeholders agree that formalizing the agriculture sector is vital for reducing child labor.

Stakeholder organizations have noted that the agriculture sector, which contributes significantly to GDP and is mostly informal, provides a significant barrier to addressing child labor and other concerns related to decent employment. The stakeholders identified a number of factors that contribute to child labor problems, including the absence of a formal wage structure in the main value chain, inefficient regulation of farming activities due to logistical challenges, and a lack of enthusiasm in the sector to assure compliance with decent work standards. The stakeholders included the Ghana Employers Association (GEA), Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC), Labour Department, and Workers Union as well as the National Focal Institutions of the International Labor Organization (ILO), Multinational Enterprises (MNE) Declaration. Ms. Priscilla Bioh, a Research Officer at GIPC, noted at an NME national dialogue on promoting sustainable, ethical, and inclusive business practices in Ghanaian industries that the majority of Foreign Direct Investments (FDI) were directed toward the agricultural sector as opposed to services and manufacturing.

But if you compare the number of projects filed in the agricultural sector to those in manufacturing and services, you'll see that agriculture lacks more large-scale, capital-intensive initiatives than other industries, she said. When an MNE is actively involved in the agriculture sector, they work with local farmers or partners, she noted, and the majority of MNE in the sector are predisposed to export trading and agro-processing. And you might occasionally be tempted to ignore checking the type of laborers a local farmer uses if you locate one from whom you purchase raw materials, she added.

The Labour Department's acting chief labor officer, Mr. Dawuda Braimah, stated that problems with child labor frequently extend beyond the activities of MNEs that got their raw materials from rogue farmers. He claimed that the sector's informality made it difficult for authorities to enforce standards for decent employment among farmers due to logistical and financial limitations. However, he pointed out that over the years, MNEs have partnered with important organizations to strengthen the capacity of inspectorates to reach out to farmers and inform them of the need of supporting decent work.

According to the International Labor Organization, decent labor is productive work for men and women in conditions of liberty, justice, security, and human dignity. Mr Kinsley Laar, a GEA economist, stated that the country must be engaged in the issues and opportunities that NME faced because they constituted around 60% of essential economic activity. He stated that most NMEs faced incoherent labor laws in host countries as well as cultural barriers that hampered their desire to apply cross-national policies, and that "there are times when their actions are actually misinterpreted and cause some form of conflict."

A member state's ratification or formal commitment to the Tripartite Declaration of Principles concerning Multinational Enterprises and Social Policy, generally known as the MNE Declaration, is not required. The ILO fundamental documents, as well as pertinent Conventions and Recommendations that represent decent work practices for all, are used to guide and provide orientation in the statement, which has been approved by governments, employers, and employees.  Additionally, it aims to promote good contributions to societal and economic advancement while preventing the introduction or maintenance of treatment disparities between national and global businesses. The principle applies to five areas: employment, general policy, training, working and living environments, and industrial relations.

Source: GNA (Global News Agency)