Creating Jobs in Africa's Fragile States (Are Value Chains an Answer?)

Nowhere is the need to generate employment more urgent than in the fragile states of Sub-Saharan Africa. In this region, where the majority of the labor force still works in agriculture, the potential of agricultural value chain development has been underexploited. Because value chain development lends itself to a flexible and incremental approach, it appears to be feasible in the absence of well-functioning government institutions. As value chain development involves building and strengthening relationships along the chain of productive and value-adding activities, it also has the potential to restore social relationships eroded by conflict. Creating Jobs in Africa’s Fragile States considers how fragility has affected economic development and job creation in Sub-Saharan Africa and how the World Bank and other donors have addressed job creation in fragile and conflict-affected environments. It examines value chain projects that have proved successful in Sub-Saharan Africa and other fragile environments. This book is primarily addressed to donors, nongovernmental organizations and policy makers, all of whom have a unique role to play in nurturing value chains. For the World Bank, increased collaboration across the institution, rather than a strictly sectoral approach, has the potential to catalyze value chain development and expand job opportunities in Africa.