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Child labour on family farms should be addressed in an appropriate and context-sensitive way that respects local values and family circumstances.

FAO 15 June 2015, Rome - A new guide by FAO aims to help ensure anti-child labour measures are included in agricultural and rural development programmes, in particular those targeting family farmers.

Programs intended to boost local food production and support family farmers often do include components to address the issue of child labour in agriculture.

But sometimes they do not, and can even contribute to the problem when improvements in productive capacity lead to increased labour demands that are met through child workers. And many agricultural development programmes do not monitor or evaluate the impact they have or may have on child labour. FAO's new guide seeks to fill these gaps.

Worldwide, large numbers of children are involved in agricultural work. This is normal on family farms and - provided it stays within acceptable boundaries -- is not only beneficial for the farm but also allows children to acquire valuable knowledge and skills.

For about 100 million children, however, such work goes beyond what is acceptable - interfering with schooling or involving them in work that is hazardous and damaging to their health.

See: http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/293658/icode/