Social protection:
Working conditions in agriculture

In many countries, the working conditions of agricultural workers, particularly non-permanent ones, remain poor and well below conditions prevailing in other economic sectors. The most vulnerable groups include those working in subsistence agriculture, wage workers in plantations, landless daily paid labourers, temporary and migrant workers and child labourers.

Hours of work in agriculture are long. National legislation and collective agreements often stipulate standard working time of more than 45 hours per week. Because of the seasonal nature of agricultural activities, hours tend to be extremely long during planting and harvesting, with shorter hours at off-peak times. During rush periods, field work can go from dawn to dusk, with transport time to and from the fields in addition. The intensity of the work offers little chance for rest breaks; the length of the working day offers insufficient time for recuperation. Because the distance from home to field may be great, many field workers have no opportunity for a proper meal in the course of the day, increasing their fatigue and undermining their productivity. Payment systems can exacerbate this situation. As minimum wages tend to be low or non-existent for agricultural workers in general and many casual, temporary or seasonal workers are paid at least in part on a piece work basis – i.e. per kilo of crop picked, row weeded, or hectare sprayed, there is a strong financial incentive for them to extend their working time to the maximum so as to enhance their earnings.

Much agricultural work is by its nature physically demanding, involving long periods of standing, stooping, bending, and carrying out repetitive movements in awkward body positions. Fatigue and the risk of accidents are enhanced by poorly designed tools, difficult terrain, and exposure to the elements. Even when technological change has brought about a reduction in the physical drudgery of agricultural work, it has introduced new risks, notably associated with the use of sophisticated machinery and the intensive use of chemicals without appropriate safety measures, information and training. Unsurprisingly, the level of accidents and illness is high.