Farmers’ perceptions of the impact of legislation on farm workers’ wages and working conditions: an eastern cape case study

Agrekon ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 52 (1) ◽  
pp. 40-67 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. Roberts ◽  
G.G. Antrobus
Keyword(s):  
Working Conditions ◽  
Farm Workers ◽  
Eastern Cape ◽  
On Farm ◽  
The Impact

Demonstrating the effectiveness of social franchising principles: the emptying of household ventilated improved pits: a case study from South Africa

2013 ◽  
Vol 3 (4) ◽  
pp. 623-628 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. Wall ◽  
O. Ive ◽  
J. Bhagwan ◽  
F. Kirwan ◽  
W. Birkholtz ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Disposal Site ◽  
Eastern Cape ◽  
Home Base ◽  
Work Site ◽  
Social Franchising ◽  
Partnership Model ◽  
Specialized Equipment ◽  
The Impact

Having viewed the successful social franchising partnerships pilot programme that serviced sanitation facilities at 400 schools in the Butterworth District of the Eastern Cape of South Africa, the Amathole District Municipality (ADM) expressed interest in exploring how well the partnership model could empty household pit latrines in its jurisdiction. The impact and effectiveness of the model was demonstrated by the emptying, by five franchisees over a period of only six weeks, of the contents of 400 household ventilated improved pit latrines in Govan Mbeki Village, and the safe disposal of their content. The paper describes the methods and results in removal and disposal of faecal sludge. Problems were encountered, and the solutions (technical, institutional and social) are described. Not unexpectedly, the amount of effort involved in this work – including time, training required, equipment required and ingenuity – varied enormously. The main variables included the type of top structure, the nature of the pit contents, whether or not there was broad consistency of type and contents in an area, distances (between pits, from home base to work site, from pits to disposal site, from location of specialized equipment to work site), logistical delays (e.g. non-arrival of equipment) and bureaucratic hold-ups (especially payment delays).

Employer-provided health benefits and employment decisions of US farm workers

2017 ◽  
Vol 77 (3) ◽  
pp. 358-375 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tianyuan Luo ◽  
Cesar Escalante
Keyword(s):  
Health Benefits ◽  
Farm Workers ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Exact Matching ◽  
Employment Decisions ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Employment Retention ◽  
Farm Work ◽  
On Farm ◽  
The Impact

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the impact of employer-provided health benefits (EPHBs) on labor supply decisions of documented and undocumented farm workers. By establishing a significant linkage between EPHB and farm work decisions, this study provides important implications for farm employment retention and the financial sustainability of farm businesses. Design/methodology/approach Using data from the National Agricultural Workers Survey, objective (actual) and subjective (expected) employment data are used as outcome variables analyzed under an ordered probit model, with the data pre-processed using the coarsened exact matching method to reduce endogeneity issues within the estimation. Findings Results confirm the influence of EPHB on farm workers’ decisions to remain employed on the farm as well as on the duration of their farm employment. Comparatively, EPHB significantly influences undocumented farm workers’ decisions on actual employment duration and subjective working expectations while documented workers seem to ascribe less importance to EPHB in their farm employment decisions. Practical implications This study provides important financial and business viability implications as the value of farm labor services retained through EPHB can translate to high opportunity losses, if ineffective. Alternative labor-saving strategies, such as mechanization, can only potentially lead to serious financial challenges for agribusiness firms, especially small-scale farm operations. This study emphasizes the need for more effective employment retention incentives for the sake of sustaining farm business viability. Originality/value This study presents empirical evidence on the important influence of EPHB on farm employment decisions, especially those made by undocumented farm workers, that have not been extensively explored in literature.

scholarly journals Management employees working conditions for sustainable development in era of globalization

2021 ◽  
Vol 129 ◽  
pp. 07006
Author(s):  
Viera Sukalova
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Working Conditions ◽  
Occupational Safety ◽  
Value Added ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Legal Aspects ◽  
Working Environment ◽  
System Solution ◽  
The Impact

Research background: Human resources today are well the most important and valuable resource of a company, and therefore it is very important that the company constantly deals with the field of working conditions. Working conditions represent a convex set of conditions, factors and other elements affecting the worker who performs the assigned work tasks for the employer and significantly affect his productivity, well-being, health and loyalty to the employer. Currently, the field of working conditions has been hit hard by the Covid 19 pandemic. The company's goal in the field of working conditions should be to create the best possible working conditions that will provide employees with a suitable and quality working environment, damage to health at work and benefits to increase their comfort. Purpose of the article: The aim of our article is to analyse the legal aspects of labour protection and working conditions in EU and Slovakia and to document on the Case study current problems of work management and also the impact of Covid 19 on employees’ working conditions. Methods: Analysis, Synthesis, Case study, Questionnaire We analyzed the current legislation of the EU and Slovakia in the field of occupational safety and working conditions, and on the example of a case study and the use of a questionnaire survey, we identified problems in this area. Findings & Value added: Identification of current problem areas in the management of working conditions and design of a system solution for sustainable development.

Trapped in Debt: Gendered Life and Western Cape Farms

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mercia Andrews
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Human Rights ◽  
Working Conditions ◽  
Food Production ◽  
Farm Workers ◽  
Western Cape ◽  
Right To Food ◽  
Food Purchasing ◽  
The Right ◽  
On Farm

This article draws on interviews with women farm workers and trade union organisers as well as my observations as an activist working with farm workers in post-apartheid South Africa. It highlights women farm workers’ entrapment in past and present cycles of disempowerment, drawing attention to the paradox that the producers of food are often those who have least access to the most basic human rights, including the right to food. Poor working conditions and low wages create indebtedness and a dependence on farm owners and therefore perpetuate powerlessness. The article highlights the complexities of how these farm workers navigate worlds of food production and food purchasing.

scholarly journals The impact of fresh produce specifications on the Australian food and nutrition system: a case study of the north Queensland banana industry

2011 ◽  
Vol 14 (8) ◽  
pp. 1489-1495 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amy White ◽  
Danielle Gallegos ◽  
Tor Hundloe
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle Assessment ◽  
Life Cycle ◽  
Carbon Dioxide Emissions ◽  
Economic Losses ◽  
The North ◽  
Food And Nutrition ◽  
Banana Industry ◽  
On Farm ◽  
The Impact

AbstractObjectiveTo use the north Queensland banana industry as a case study to examine the extent to which cosmetic standards set by retailers influence the amount of edible waste generated on-farm and the effect of this on the sustainability of the Australian food and nutrition system.DesignWaste audits were performed on-farm at a banana packing shed to quantify the amount of fruit discarded due to cosmetic imperfections. These data, together with production records provided by the Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries and interviews with growers, were used to inform a nutritional analysis, a life cycle assessment and an economic analysis to quantify nutritional, environmental and economic impacts.SettingNorth Queensland, AustraliaSubjectsBanana farms and packing shed.ResultBetween 10 and 30 % of the north Queensland banana crop is discarded on-farm. Of this, 78 % was found to be due to cosmetic imperfections, which equates to an industry total of 37 000 tonnes per annum. This waste represents a loss of 137 billion kilojoules with accompanying macro- and micronutrients. The life cycle assessment indicated that approximately 16 300 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions, 11·2 gigalitres of virtual water as well as other natural resources are embodied in the waste. There is an industry-wide, economic loss of approximately $AU 26·9 million per annum.ConclusionsThe majority of on-farm banana waste is caused by arbitrary cosmetic standards set by retailers, resulting in significant nutritional, environmental and economic losses. Public health nutritionists have a role to play across the entire food chain to minimize the impacts of waste on the food system.

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