Abstract

As countries in the West and Central African (WCA) subregion prepare for technological advancements and other disruptions caused by climate change impacts, fragility, economic integration, and population transitions that will fundamentally alter their labor landscape, experts predict that increased digital technology (DT) adoption will have a potentially positive effect on these Agri-based economies. They believe that if DTs gain widespread acceptance, they will boost African businesses, creating more jobs for everyone. At the same time, the impact of these technologies, combined with existing challenges in SSA and the WCA sub-region, particularly climate change risks, appears to be exacerbating existing inequalities in terms of the future of work for marginalized groups, particularly women. However, rigorous quantitative and qualitative evidence about the impact of DTs and climate change on the future of work in Africa's Agri-based economies, particularly the WCA region, is limited, with many open research questions. We develop a framework for these issues and propose a research agenda to help guide policy and practice