Institutionalise and make laws that explicitly include justice in food systems, such as national food charters, right to food legislation, and the formal recognition of customary land rights. Such frameworks provide enforceable mechanisms to protect worker rights, address structural inequities, and embed accountability into the governance of food systems. 

Governments can catalyze skills development through university degree programs and vocational training. Training can extend to mid-value chain roles—storage, handling, food safety, and HACCP—enhancing redeployment opportunities in food systems transitions. These programs improve employability, especially for youth, women, and the current workforce, while supporting safer, more efficient, and less labor-intensive food systems.

Ensure inclusive social protections for food system workers, including maternity leave, childcare support, informal worker rights, and targeted support for women-led food microenterprises.

Brazil’s Minimum Wage Valuation Policy (Law No. 14,663, 2023) guarantees annual minimum wage adjustments, combining inflation (INPC) and a real increment linked to GDP growth from two years prior. Effective January 2024, it reinstates real wage gains, provides legal certainty, and helps preserve purchasing power for food and essentials, supporting low-income households and economic stability.

Canada offers a Diploma of Vocational Studies in agriculture and farming, providing practical skills for the workforce. The program can include mid-value chain roles such as storage, handling, and food safety (HACCP). It aims to enhance employability, support food system efficiency, and create opportunities for youth, women, and existing workers to transition into sustainable and resilient agricultural and food sector careers.

Youth-focused agri-preneur hubs are incubating food innovation—such as smart storage solutions and nutrient-rich food processing—while connecting young entrepreneurs to markets and business mentorship in both Kenya and Tanzania.