Reinforcing occupational safety and health: The ILO deploys an innovative tool for agricultural cooperatives in Côte d’Ivoire

Yamoussoukro, Côte d’Ivoire (ILO News) – From 10–15 March 2025, the ACCEL Africa, ENACTE, and ENI projects are deploying the Practical Occupational Safety and Health Tool for Agricultural Cooperatives to strengthen the realization of fundamental rights in the agricultural sector in Côte d’Ivoire. These projects, implemented by the International Labour Office (ILO), aim to accelerate the elimination of child labour and improve occupational safety and health in the cocoa, gold, and rubber supply chains. Their approach targets the root causes of child labour, particularly the deficits in occupational safety and health for adults and youth of legal working age. The projects are committed to rolling out this tool as part of the ILO’s ongoing efforts to promote and uphold fundamental principles and rights at work through cooperatives.

This new tool aims to strengthen internal OSH skills within agricultural cooperatives as well as their capacity to promote and facilitate the creation of safe, healthy, and productive workplaces for their workers, members, and the broader community.

The 20 participants included representatives from the General Directorate of Labour (DGT)—comprising labour inspectors and occupational health physicians—the National Agency for Rural Development Support (ANADER), the General Confederation of Enterprises of Côte d’Ivoire (CGECI), the OSH Inter-Union Group, the Directorate of Agricultural Professional Organizations, NGOs, and cooperatives.

The workshop was conducted through a combination of theoretical training and practical sessions within selected cooperatives in Yamoussoukro. The training generated strong interest and allowed participants to gain an in-depth understanding of the links between child labour and occupational safety and health, as well as the crucial role cooperatives can play in fostering a culture of prevention and promoting access to safe and healthy workplaces.

This understanding will support the development of action plans within participating organizations to implement concrete measures aimed at preventing workplace accidents and occupational diseases within cooperatives. The knowledge gained will also enhance support activities for cooperatives and foster partnership frameworks between supply chain actors and cooperatives.

The implementation of the Practical Occupational Safety and Health Tool for Agricultural Cooperatives in Côte d’Ivoire contributes to the ILO’s efforts to promote and respect fundamental principles and rights at work through cooperatives. Activities with partners may continue through a coaching workshop that could lead to certification of the trainees by the ILO. This initiative is part of a broader set of actions by the ACCEL Africa, ENACTE, and ENI projects to build the capacity of cooperatives and their members, enabling them to play a more active role in the realization of fundamental rights at work—particularly the elimination of child labour and the promotion of safe and healthy working environments.