International Labour Organization expands wage project to agriculture in Côte d’Ivoire

The International Labour Organization (OIT) concluded its "Fixation des salaires adéquats" (SAW) project in Côte d’Ivoire and announced an expansion of the initiative into the agricultural sector.

The project, which ran for three years with funding from the Kingdom of the Netherlands, aimed to improve wage-setting mechanisms through social dialogue and the production of evidence-based data.

N’Deye Coumba Diop, the director of the OIT country office for Côte d’Ivoire and several neighboring countries, stated that the project replaced perceptions with concrete data. She emphasized that fair wages are essential for human dignity, social justice, and economic competitiveness. The OIT also integrated Côte d’Ivoire into its global program on living wages and introduced the Wage Data Hub, a tool designed to collect and share wage data to help shape remuneration policies.

Labor representatives, including N’Dri Yao of the Fédération des syndicats autonomes de Côte d’Ivoire. Confédération générale (FESACI-CG), noted that a 25% increase in the guaranteed minimum interprofessional wage (SMIG) has been offset by inflation. Workers are now calling for the rapid deployment of the SAW-Agriculture project to rural areas. This new phase will focus on strategic sectors such as cocoa, cashew nuts, and bananas to create formal jobs.

Employers, represented by Bodo Léopold, expressed support for the initiative while noting that sustainable wage increases depend on productivity and the business environment. The government representative, Coulibaly Kassoum, pledged to use the OIT's data and tools to lead future wage discussions based on the actual cost of living.