Mevsimlik gezici tarım işçilerinin 2019 Kasım – 2020 Kasım tarihleri arasında geçen 365 gününe od... more Mevsimlik gezici tarım işçilerinin 2019 Kasım – 2020 Kasım tarihleri arasında geçen 365 gününe odaklanan bu görselleştirme çalışması, özellikle pandemiyle medyada daha fazla yer almaya başlayan mevsimlik gezici tarım işçileri ve çocuklarının yaşam ve çalışma rutinleri ile karşılaştıkları sorunları anlatıyor. Kalkınma Atölyesi Kooperatifi’nin mevsimlik gezici tarım işçilerinin bir yıl içerisinde göç ettikleri illerdeki konaklama ve çalışma şartları, çalıştıkları ürün, iş ve göç rotası, çocuk işçiliği ve çocukların eğitime katılımı, gittikleri illerin mevsimlik gezici tarım işçileri açısından mevcut durumları, karşılaştıkları afet süreçlerinde neler yaşadıklarına dair gerçekleştirdiği araştırmaların incelenmesi ve kapsamlı bir medya taraması sonucu elde edilen bulgular, Bakır Ailesi’nin hikâyesi özelinde anlatılmış, ailenin yolculuğu mevsimlik gezici tarım işçilerinin hikâyesini temsil eden bir yolculuk olarak görselleştirilmiştir.
This study focuses on Ankara as a place and children as a subject for access to safe food. It has... more This study focuses on Ankara as a place and children as a subject for access to safe food. It has set the target to identify the problems encountered in children's access to food in the poor areas of Ankara, to evaluate the studies on this issue, to question how they can be strengthened and to examine possible opportunities. In line with this goal, since children's access to safe food is a multi-layered social problem that requires the cooperation of different actors, a process such as a workshop that brings together the stakeholders of the issue and offers the opportunity to produce common ideas and build a solidarity mechanism has been followed as a method of approaching the problem. The main purpose of the project is to organize a workshop that brings together the relevant actors who can make an original contribution to the subject, where they can develop solutions and cooperate with a participatory method, and to propose a model for approaching social problems. In this context, desk research, key actor interviews and field visits were conducted during the workshop preparation process. Based on the workshop outputs, this report has been prepared as a process report containing recommendations to policy makers and actors dealing with issues involving access to safe food and child nutrition.
Bu çalışma güvenli gıdaya erişimde mekân olarak Ankara’yı, özne olarak ise ço- cukları odağına al... more Bu çalışma güvenli gıdaya erişimde mekân olarak Ankara’yı, özne olarak ise ço- cukları odağına almaktadır. Ankara’nın yoksul bölgelerindeki çocukların gıdaya erişiminde karşılaşılan sorunları tespit etmeyi, bu konuda yapılan çalışmaları değerlendirmeyi ve nasıl güçlendirileceklerini sorgulayıp muhtemel imkanları incelemeyi hedef olarak belirlemiştir. Bu hedef doğrultusunda, çocukların gü- venli gıdaya erişimi çok katmanlı ve birbirinden farklı aktörlerin iş birliğini ge- rektiren bir sosyal sorun olduğu için soruna yaklaşım metodu olarak çalıştay gibi konunun paydaşlarını bir araya getiren ve ortak fikir üretebilme, dayanışma mekanizması inşa etme imkanlarını sunan bir süreç izlenmiştir. Projenin temel amacı konu ile ilgili özgün katkı sunabilecek ilgili aktörleri bir araya getiren ve katılımcı yöntemle çözüm geliştirip iş birliği yapabilecekleri bir çalıştay organize etmek ve sosyal sorunlara yaklaşımda bir model önerisinde bulunmaktır. Bu kapsamda çalıştaya hazırlık sürecinde masabaşı çalışması, kilit aktör görüşme- leri ve saha ziyareti yapılmıştır. Elinizdeki rapor çalıştay çıktılarından hareketle güvenli gıdaya erişimi ve çocuk beslenmesini içeren sorunlarla ilgilenen politika yapıcılara ve aktörlere öneriler içeren bir süreç raporu olarak hazırlanmıştır.
The Case Analysis “Effects of the Flood in Adana Plain on Seasonal Migratory Agricultural Workers... more The Case Analysis “Effects of the Flood in Adana Plain on Seasonal Migratory Agricultural Workers and Their Children” took the case of seasonal migratory agricultural workers affected by this event and aimed to make visible the vulnerable situation of seasonal migratory agricultural workers in this respect not only in Adana but also in many other parts of Turkey. Indeed, while preparations for the Case Analysis was going on two more nature events took place in other parts of the country further confirming the need for interventions. The first one was the overflooding of Elekçi Stream in Ordu-Fatsa in August 2020 and the second one was the sandstorm breaking out in Polatlı-Ankara on 12-13 September 2020. These two events happening within the same year clearly show the urgent need to launch initiatives for interventions and improvements regarding the conditions of seasonal migratory agricultural workers.
Koronavirüs Salgınının Mevsimlik Gezici Tarım İşçileri ve Onların Çocuklarının Fındık Hasadına Ka... more Koronavirüs Salgınının Mevsimlik Gezici Tarım İşçileri ve Onların Çocuklarının Fındık Hasadına Katılımına Olası Etkileri ve Önlemler Hızlı Araştırması’nın temel amacı; küresel düzeyde hissedilen Covid-19 salgını kapsamında toplumsal yapı içerisinde en kırılgan ve görünmez topluluklardan biri olan mevsimlik gezici tarım işçileri ve çocuklarının maruz kaldıkları/kalabilecekleri olası riskleri ortaya koymak, mevsimlik göç süreçlerini nasıl etki- leyeceğini belirlemek ve özellikle 2020 Ağustos ayında fındık hasadına katılacak mevsim- lik gezici tarım işçileri üzerinden bu risklerin en aza indirilebilmesi için yerel, bölgesel ve ulusal öneriler geliştirilmesine katkı sağlamaktır. Ayrıca bu amaç kapsamında, salgın sürecinin fındık hasadına olabilecek etkilerinin anlaşılmasına da çalışılmıştır.
The basic objective of the rapid assessment “Possible Effects of Coronavirus Outbreak on the Participation of Seasonal Agricultural Workers and Their Children to Hazelnut Harvesting and Relevant Measures” is to expose risks that seasonal migrant agricultural workers and their children face/may face in the context of the global Covid-19 pandemic as the most vulnerable and invisible layer of the society, how the present pandemic may affect production processes, and to contribute to the development of local, regional and national measures to minimize these risks particularly in the context of seasonal migrant agricultural workers who are expected to participate to hazelnut harvesting in August 2020. The assessment also seeks to investigate the possible effects of the outbreak on hazelnut harvesting.
ILO Türkiye tarafından desteklenen bu hızlı değerlendirme araştırması Mart-Nisan 2020 aylarında m... more ILO Türkiye tarafından desteklenen bu hızlı değerlendirme araştırması Mart-Nisan 2020 aylarında mevsimlik gezici tarım işçiliğinde hâlihazırda çalışanlar ve göç sürecine katılanların durumunu anlamaya, sürecin nasıl gelişeceğini değerlendirmeye ve darboğazların nasıl aşılabileceğine odaklanmıştır.
The Covid-19 outbreak which first started in China and then spread throughout the world had its effects on Turkey from early March and led to the cessation or slowing down of production in many sectors. Agriculture is among these sectors. Hundreds of thousands of workers move from one place to another within the country every year for a period that may extend over ten months following the seasons of various crops. Measures adopted to combat the outbreak have already started to affect seasonal migrant agricultural workers and their children in the context of various crops and farming locations.
Taking a look at present year work plans of 70 agricultural intermediaries interviewed we see that 10,000 agricultural workers they represent will be on the move, starting from April 2020, for a period of 5 months covering 20 provinces. Considering hundreds of thousands of workers engaged in agricultural production in Turkey, this mobility entails significant risks for these workers, their children and local population in provinces/districts they will be moving to.
Meanwhile, in interviews conducted with farmers and agricultural chambers in sample provinces of Adana, Ankara, Bursa, Düzce, Eskişehir, Hatay, İzmir, Konya, Malatya, Manisa, Mersin, Ordu, Giresun, İstanbul and Şanlıurfa it was stated that production would be affected with decreased yield and output in some crops compared to earlier years in case seasonal migrant labour force that is needed cannot come. Consequently, interruptions in food supply chains may emerge in case specific needs arising from the mobility of seasonal agricultural labour are not taken into account while designing measures to combat and control the outbreak. Given this, the major objective of the survey is to expose the risks that confront, in the context of the global Covid-19 pandemic, seasonal migrant agricultural workers and their children as one of the most vulnerable and invisible groups in society and to contribute to the development of policies to minimize these risks. The study will also analyse possible effects on production and daily life of work day losses that may be incurred as a result of measures taken against the outbreak.
In this context the rapid assessment report first presents a framework related to what is happening in the world in relation to the impact of the Covid-19 outbreak on agricultural production. This is followed by an analysis on how counter-outbreak measures adopted in Turkey in the period 25 March – 15 April 2020 affected the employment of migrant agricultural workers in the sample provinces of Adana, Ankara, Bolu, Çorum, Giresun, Isparta, Konya and Sakarya.
The survey was designed to reach four fundamental data by using three different methods. The first is the desktop study carried out by the survey team. Developments taking place in the world and in Turkey in the period 15 March 2020 – 20 April 2020 were followed on the press and statements made by relevant agencies and the survey design was completed on the basis of findings obtained from this survey. Secondly, the Development Workshop created a Whatsapp (now including more than 80 members) group through contacts established during various past activities which is composed of actors and institutional representatives from a variety of areas. This ensured continuously updated information flow from different localities and actors and made it possible to confirm information obtained when necessary. In the context of counter-outbreak activities, an institutional capacity assessment was made with this communication platform comprising the United Nations (UN) agencies, agricultural intermediaries, private firms, professional organizations and participants from civil society to disseminate, update and discuss the outcomes of the survey. Thirdly, telephone conversations were made in the period 6-12 April 2020 with two major clusters on the current situation, possible developments and suggestions for solutions. The first cluster consists of 70 agricultural intermediaries out of a universe of 298 as distributed by regions/crops. 70 intermediaries selected for interviewing so as to cover at least 12 provinces receiving seasonal workers (Adana, Ankara, Bursa, Düzce, Eskişehir, Hatay, İzmir, Konya, Malatya, Manisa, Mersin and Ordu). The second cluster is composed of 34 interviewees. They are representatives of public agencies, farmers’ unions, civil society organizations, private sector firms, agricultural chambers and professional organizations from at least 10 provinces (Adana, Ankara, Bursa, Düzce, Eskişehir, Konya, Malatya, Manisa, Ordu and Şanlıurfa) plus staff from international organizations (Food and Agriculture Organization and United Nations Population Fund). It is observed that among measures adopted to combat the disease, curfew, travel restrictions and measures related to boarding and hygiene conditions will have their significant effects on agricultural production and some uncertainties related to enforcement will further aggravate these effects.
Presently, as documented long ago, inadequate and unfavourable living and sheltering conditions prevailing in temporary tent camps rooming in many seasonal migrant workers affect the health status of workers and their families and now they further aggravate health risks in the face of the outbreak. Thus, necessary measures must be introduced in these areas and regular health examinations must be conducted while informing workers about the outbreak and symptoms of the disease. Further, necessary support in necessary materials (i.e. soap, water, antibacterial jells, etc.) to ensure that recommendations related to personal hygiene are actually practised.
Interviews with agricultural intermediaries suggest that measures related to travel in particular will increase the cost of travel for agricultural workers. The government must adopt necessary measures to cover this unexpected cost increase and introduce solutions to provide adequate means of transportation to workers.
In order to keep control over possible effects of the Covid-19 measures on crop farming, seasonal migrant agricultural workers and their children, there is need for a body to coordinate and conciliate central decision making in agricultural production on the one hand and specific needs arising from production processes in different provinces. This body or institution must remain in fruitful consultation and communication with important actors in agricultural production including agricultural intermediaries, local headmen, relevant professional organizations, civil society organizations and private sector firms. This suggestion is further detailed in the conclusion part of the report.
Mevsimlik gezici tarım işçilerinin 2019 Kasım – 2020 Kasım tarihleri arasında geçen 365 gününe od... more Mevsimlik gezici tarım işçilerinin 2019 Kasım – 2020 Kasım tarihleri arasında geçen 365 gününe odaklanan bu görselleştirme çalışması, özellikle pandemiyle medyada daha fazla yer almaya başlayan mevsimlik gezici tarım işçileri ve çocuklarının yaşam ve çalışma rutinleri ile karşılaştıkları sorunları anlatıyor. Kalkınma Atölyesi Kooperatifi’nin mevsimlik gezici tarım işçilerinin bir yıl içerisinde göç ettikleri illerdeki konaklama ve çalışma şartları, çalıştıkları ürün, iş ve göç rotası, çocuk işçiliği ve çocukların eğitime katılımı, gittikleri illerin mevsimlik gezici tarım işçileri açısından mevcut durumları, karşılaştıkları afet süreçlerinde neler yaşadıklarına dair gerçekleştirdiği araştırmaların incelenmesi ve kapsamlı bir medya taraması sonucu elde edilen bulgular, Bakır Ailesi’nin hikâyesi özelinde anlatılmış, ailenin yolculuğu mevsimlik gezici tarım işçilerinin hikâyesini temsil eden bir yolculuk olarak görselleştirilmiştir.
This study focuses on Ankara as a place and children as a subject for access to safe food. It has... more This study focuses on Ankara as a place and children as a subject for access to safe food. It has set the target to identify the problems encountered in children's access to food in the poor areas of Ankara, to evaluate the studies on this issue, to question how they can be strengthened and to examine possible opportunities. In line with this goal, since children's access to safe food is a multi-layered social problem that requires the cooperation of different actors, a process such as a workshop that brings together the stakeholders of the issue and offers the opportunity to produce common ideas and build a solidarity mechanism has been followed as a method of approaching the problem. The main purpose of the project is to organize a workshop that brings together the relevant actors who can make an original contribution to the subject, where they can develop solutions and cooperate with a participatory method, and to propose a model for approaching social problems. In this context, desk research, key actor interviews and field visits were conducted during the workshop preparation process. Based on the workshop outputs, this report has been prepared as a process report containing recommendations to policy makers and actors dealing with issues involving access to safe food and child nutrition.
Bu çalışma güvenli gıdaya erişimde mekân olarak Ankara’yı, özne olarak ise ço- cukları odağına al... more Bu çalışma güvenli gıdaya erişimde mekân olarak Ankara’yı, özne olarak ise ço- cukları odağına almaktadır. Ankara’nın yoksul bölgelerindeki çocukların gıdaya erişiminde karşılaşılan sorunları tespit etmeyi, bu konuda yapılan çalışmaları değerlendirmeyi ve nasıl güçlendirileceklerini sorgulayıp muhtemel imkanları incelemeyi hedef olarak belirlemiştir. Bu hedef doğrultusunda, çocukların gü- venli gıdaya erişimi çok katmanlı ve birbirinden farklı aktörlerin iş birliğini ge- rektiren bir sosyal sorun olduğu için soruna yaklaşım metodu olarak çalıştay gibi konunun paydaşlarını bir araya getiren ve ortak fikir üretebilme, dayanışma mekanizması inşa etme imkanlarını sunan bir süreç izlenmiştir. Projenin temel amacı konu ile ilgili özgün katkı sunabilecek ilgili aktörleri bir araya getiren ve katılımcı yöntemle çözüm geliştirip iş birliği yapabilecekleri bir çalıştay organize etmek ve sosyal sorunlara yaklaşımda bir model önerisinde bulunmaktır. Bu kapsamda çalıştaya hazırlık sürecinde masabaşı çalışması, kilit aktör görüşme- leri ve saha ziyareti yapılmıştır. Elinizdeki rapor çalıştay çıktılarından hareketle güvenli gıdaya erişimi ve çocuk beslenmesini içeren sorunlarla ilgilenen politika yapıcılara ve aktörlere öneriler içeren bir süreç raporu olarak hazırlanmıştır.
The Case Analysis “Effects of the Flood in Adana Plain on Seasonal Migratory Agricultural Workers... more The Case Analysis “Effects of the Flood in Adana Plain on Seasonal Migratory Agricultural Workers and Their Children” took the case of seasonal migratory agricultural workers affected by this event and aimed to make visible the vulnerable situation of seasonal migratory agricultural workers in this respect not only in Adana but also in many other parts of Turkey. Indeed, while preparations for the Case Analysis was going on two more nature events took place in other parts of the country further confirming the need for interventions. The first one was the overflooding of Elekçi Stream in Ordu-Fatsa in August 2020 and the second one was the sandstorm breaking out in Polatlı-Ankara on 12-13 September 2020. These two events happening within the same year clearly show the urgent need to launch initiatives for interventions and improvements regarding the conditions of seasonal migratory agricultural workers.
Koronavirüs Salgınının Mevsimlik Gezici Tarım İşçileri ve Onların Çocuklarının Fındık Hasadına Ka... more Koronavirüs Salgınının Mevsimlik Gezici Tarım İşçileri ve Onların Çocuklarının Fındık Hasadına Katılımına Olası Etkileri ve Önlemler Hızlı Araştırması’nın temel amacı; küresel düzeyde hissedilen Covid-19 salgını kapsamında toplumsal yapı içerisinde en kırılgan ve görünmez topluluklardan biri olan mevsimlik gezici tarım işçileri ve çocuklarının maruz kaldıkları/kalabilecekleri olası riskleri ortaya koymak, mevsimlik göç süreçlerini nasıl etki- leyeceğini belirlemek ve özellikle 2020 Ağustos ayında fındık hasadına katılacak mevsim- lik gezici tarım işçileri üzerinden bu risklerin en aza indirilebilmesi için yerel, bölgesel ve ulusal öneriler geliştirilmesine katkı sağlamaktır. Ayrıca bu amaç kapsamında, salgın sürecinin fındık hasadına olabilecek etkilerinin anlaşılmasına da çalışılmıştır.
The basic objective of the rapid assessment “Possible Effects of Coronavirus Outbreak on the Participation of Seasonal Agricultural Workers and Their Children to Hazelnut Harvesting and Relevant Measures” is to expose risks that seasonal migrant agricultural workers and their children face/may face in the context of the global Covid-19 pandemic as the most vulnerable and invisible layer of the society, how the present pandemic may affect production processes, and to contribute to the development of local, regional and national measures to minimize these risks particularly in the context of seasonal migrant agricultural workers who are expected to participate to hazelnut harvesting in August 2020. The assessment also seeks to investigate the possible effects of the outbreak on hazelnut harvesting.
ILO Türkiye tarafından desteklenen bu hızlı değerlendirme araştırması Mart-Nisan 2020 aylarında m... more ILO Türkiye tarafından desteklenen bu hızlı değerlendirme araştırması Mart-Nisan 2020 aylarında mevsimlik gezici tarım işçiliğinde hâlihazırda çalışanlar ve göç sürecine katılanların durumunu anlamaya, sürecin nasıl gelişeceğini değerlendirmeye ve darboğazların nasıl aşılabileceğine odaklanmıştır.
The Covid-19 outbreak which first started in China and then spread throughout the world had its effects on Turkey from early March and led to the cessation or slowing down of production in many sectors. Agriculture is among these sectors. Hundreds of thousands of workers move from one place to another within the country every year for a period that may extend over ten months following the seasons of various crops. Measures adopted to combat the outbreak have already started to affect seasonal migrant agricultural workers and their children in the context of various crops and farming locations.
Taking a look at present year work plans of 70 agricultural intermediaries interviewed we see that 10,000 agricultural workers they represent will be on the move, starting from April 2020, for a period of 5 months covering 20 provinces. Considering hundreds of thousands of workers engaged in agricultural production in Turkey, this mobility entails significant risks for these workers, their children and local population in provinces/districts they will be moving to.
Meanwhile, in interviews conducted with farmers and agricultural chambers in sample provinces of Adana, Ankara, Bursa, Düzce, Eskişehir, Hatay, İzmir, Konya, Malatya, Manisa, Mersin, Ordu, Giresun, İstanbul and Şanlıurfa it was stated that production would be affected with decreased yield and output in some crops compared to earlier years in case seasonal migrant labour force that is needed cannot come. Consequently, interruptions in food supply chains may emerge in case specific needs arising from the mobility of seasonal agricultural labour are not taken into account while designing measures to combat and control the outbreak. Given this, the major objective of the survey is to expose the risks that confront, in the context of the global Covid-19 pandemic, seasonal migrant agricultural workers and their children as one of the most vulnerable and invisible groups in society and to contribute to the development of policies to minimize these risks. The study will also analyse possible effects on production and daily life of work day losses that may be incurred as a result of measures taken against the outbreak.
In this context the rapid assessment report first presents a framework related to what is happening in the world in relation to the impact of the Covid-19 outbreak on agricultural production. This is followed by an analysis on how counter-outbreak measures adopted in Turkey in the period 25 March – 15 April 2020 affected the employment of migrant agricultural workers in the sample provinces of Adana, Ankara, Bolu, Çorum, Giresun, Isparta, Konya and Sakarya.
The survey was designed to reach four fundamental data by using three different methods. The first is the desktop study carried out by the survey team. Developments taking place in the world and in Turkey in the period 15 March 2020 – 20 April 2020 were followed on the press and statements made by relevant agencies and the survey design was completed on the basis of findings obtained from this survey. Secondly, the Development Workshop created a Whatsapp (now including more than 80 members) group through contacts established during various past activities which is composed of actors and institutional representatives from a variety of areas. This ensured continuously updated information flow from different localities and actors and made it possible to confirm information obtained when necessary. In the context of counter-outbreak activities, an institutional capacity assessment was made with this communication platform comprising the United Nations (UN) agencies, agricultural intermediaries, private firms, professional organizations and participants from civil society to disseminate, update and discuss the outcomes of the survey. Thirdly, telephone conversations were made in the period 6-12 April 2020 with two major clusters on the current situation, possible developments and suggestions for solutions. The first cluster consists of 70 agricultural intermediaries out of a universe of 298 as distributed by regions/crops. 70 intermediaries selected for interviewing so as to cover at least 12 provinces receiving seasonal workers (Adana, Ankara, Bursa, Düzce, Eskişehir, Hatay, İzmir, Konya, Malatya, Manisa, Mersin and Ordu). The second cluster is composed of 34 interviewees. They are representatives of public agencies, farmers’ unions, civil society organizations, private sector firms, agricultural chambers and professional organizations from at least 10 provinces (Adana, Ankara, Bursa, Düzce, Eskişehir, Konya, Malatya, Manisa, Ordu and Şanlıurfa) plus staff from international organizations (Food and Agriculture Organization and United Nations Population Fund). It is observed that among measures adopted to combat the disease, curfew, travel restrictions and measures related to boarding and hygiene conditions will have their significant effects on agricultural production and some uncertainties related to enforcement will further aggravate these effects.
Presently, as documented long ago, inadequate and unfavourable living and sheltering conditions prevailing in temporary tent camps rooming in many seasonal migrant workers affect the health status of workers and their families and now they further aggravate health risks in the face of the outbreak. Thus, necessary measures must be introduced in these areas and regular health examinations must be conducted while informing workers about the outbreak and symptoms of the disease. Further, necessary support in necessary materials (i.e. soap, water, antibacterial jells, etc.) to ensure that recommendations related to personal hygiene are actually practised.
Interviews with agricultural intermediaries suggest that measures related to travel in particular will increase the cost of travel for agricultural workers. The government must adopt necessary measures to cover this unexpected cost increase and introduce solutions to provide adequate means of transportation to workers.
In order to keep control over possible effects of the Covid-19 measures on crop farming, seasonal migrant agricultural workers and their children, there is need for a body to coordinate and conciliate central decision making in agricultural production on the one hand and specific needs arising from production processes in different provinces. This body or institution must remain in fruitful consultation and communication with important actors in agricultural production including agricultural intermediaries, local headmen, relevant professional organizations, civil society organizations and private sector firms. This suggestion is further detailed in the conclusion part of the report.
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Papers by Ayşe Özsoy
The basic objective of the rapid assessment “Possible Effects of Coronavirus Outbreak on the Participation of Seasonal Agricultural Workers and Their Children to Hazelnut Harvesting and Relevant Measures” is to expose risks that seasonal migrant agricultural workers and their children face/may face in the context of the global Covid-19 pandemic as the most vulnerable and invisible layer of the society, how the present pandemic may affect production processes, and to contribute to the development of local, regional and national measures to minimize these risks particularly in the context of seasonal migrant agricultural workers who are expected to participate to hazelnut harvesting in August 2020. The assessment also seeks to investigate the possible effects of the outbreak on hazelnut harvesting.
http://www.ka.org.tr/
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
http://bianet.org/english/print/223919-if-seasonal-agricultural-workers-cannot-find-a-job-child-labor-will-increase
The Covid-19 outbreak which first started in China and then spread throughout the world had its effects on Turkey from early March and led to the cessation or slowing down of production in many sectors. Agriculture is among these sectors. Hundreds of thousands of workers move from one place to another within the country every year for a period that may extend over ten months following the seasons of various crops. Measures adopted to combat the outbreak have already started to affect seasonal migrant agricultural workers and their children in the context of various crops and farming locations.
Taking a look at present year work plans of 70 agricultural intermediaries interviewed we see that 10,000 agricultural workers they represent will be on the move, starting from April 2020, for a period of 5 months covering 20 provinces. Considering hundreds of thousands of workers engaged in agricultural production in Turkey, this mobility entails significant risks for these workers, their children and local population in provinces/districts they will be moving to.
Meanwhile, in interviews conducted with farmers and agricultural chambers in sample provinces of Adana, Ankara, Bursa, Düzce, Eskişehir, Hatay, İzmir, Konya, Malatya, Manisa, Mersin, Ordu, Giresun, İstanbul and Şanlıurfa it was stated that production would be affected with decreased yield and output in some crops compared to earlier years in case seasonal migrant labour force that is needed cannot come. Consequently, interruptions in food supply chains may emerge in case specific needs arising from the mobility of seasonal agricultural labour are not taken into account while designing measures to combat and control the outbreak.
Given this, the major objective of the survey is to expose the risks that confront, in the context of the global Covid-19 pandemic, seasonal migrant agricultural workers and their children as one of the most vulnerable and invisible groups in society and to contribute to the development of policies to minimize these risks. The study will also analyse possible effects on production and daily life of work day losses that may be incurred as a result of measures taken against the outbreak.
In this context the rapid assessment report first presents a framework related to what is happening in the world in relation to the impact of the Covid-19 outbreak on agricultural production. This is followed by an analysis on how counter-outbreak measures adopted in Turkey in the period 25 March – 15 April 2020 affected the employment of migrant agricultural workers in the sample provinces of Adana, Ankara, Bolu, Çorum, Giresun, Isparta, Konya and Sakarya.
The survey was designed to reach four fundamental data by using three different methods. The first is the desktop study carried out by the survey team. Developments taking place in the world and in Turkey in the period 15 March 2020 – 20 April 2020 were followed on the press and statements made by relevant agencies and the survey design was completed on the basis of findings obtained from this survey.
Secondly, the Development Workshop created a Whatsapp (now including more than 80 members) group through contacts established during various past activities which is composed of actors and institutional representatives from a variety of areas. This ensured continuously updated information flow from different localities and actors and made it possible to confirm information obtained when necessary. In the context of counter-outbreak activities, an institutional capacity assessment was made with this communication platform comprising the United Nations (UN) agencies, agricultural intermediaries, private firms, professional organizations and participants from civil society to disseminate, update and discuss the outcomes of the survey.
Thirdly, telephone conversations were made in the period 6-12 April 2020 with two major clusters on the current situation, possible developments and suggestions for solutions. The first cluster consists of 70 agricultural intermediaries out of a universe of 298 as distributed by regions/crops. 70 intermediaries selected for interviewing so as to cover at least 12 provinces receiving seasonal workers (Adana, Ankara, Bursa, Düzce, Eskişehir, Hatay, İzmir, Konya, Malatya, Manisa, Mersin and Ordu). The second cluster is composed of 34 interviewees. They are representatives of public agencies, farmers’ unions, civil society organizations, private sector firms, agricultural chambers and professional organizations from at least 10 provinces (Adana, Ankara, Bursa, Düzce, Eskişehir, Konya, Malatya, Manisa, Ordu and Şanlıurfa) plus staff from international organizations (Food and Agriculture Organization and United Nations Population Fund).
It is observed that among measures adopted to combat the disease, curfew, travel restrictions and measures related to boarding and hygiene conditions will have their significant effects on agricultural production and some uncertainties related to enforcement will further aggravate these effects.
Presently, as documented long ago, inadequate and unfavourable living and sheltering conditions prevailing in temporary tent camps rooming in many seasonal migrant workers affect the health status of workers and their families and now they further aggravate health risks in the face of the outbreak. Thus, necessary measures must be introduced in these areas and regular health examinations must be conducted while informing workers about the outbreak and symptoms of the disease. Further, necessary support in necessary materials (i.e. soap, water, antibacterial jells, etc.) to ensure that recommendations related to personal hygiene are actually practised.
Interviews with agricultural intermediaries suggest that measures related to travel in particular will increase the cost of travel for agricultural workers. The government must adopt necessary measures to cover this unexpected cost increase and introduce solutions to provide adequate means of transportation to workers.
In order to keep control over possible effects of the Covid-19 measures on crop farming, seasonal migrant agricultural workers and their children, there is need for a body to coordinate and conciliate central decision making in agricultural production on the one hand and specific needs arising from production processes in different provinces. This body or institution must remain in fruitful consultation and communication with important actors in agricultural production including agricultural intermediaries, local headmen, relevant professional organizations, civil society organizations and private sector firms. This suggestion is further detailed in the conclusion part of the report.
The basic objective of the rapid assessment “Possible Effects of Coronavirus Outbreak on the Participation of Seasonal Agricultural Workers and Their Children to Hazelnut Harvesting and Relevant Measures” is to expose risks that seasonal migrant agricultural workers and their children face/may face in the context of the global Covid-19 pandemic as the most vulnerable and invisible layer of the society, how the present pandemic may affect production processes, and to contribute to the development of local, regional and national measures to minimize these risks particularly in the context of seasonal migrant agricultural workers who are expected to participate to hazelnut harvesting in August 2020. The assessment also seeks to investigate the possible effects of the outbreak on hazelnut harvesting.
http://www.ka.org.tr/
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
http://bianet.org/english/print/223919-if-seasonal-agricultural-workers-cannot-find-a-job-child-labor-will-increase
The Covid-19 outbreak which first started in China and then spread throughout the world had its effects on Turkey from early March and led to the cessation or slowing down of production in many sectors. Agriculture is among these sectors. Hundreds of thousands of workers move from one place to another within the country every year for a period that may extend over ten months following the seasons of various crops. Measures adopted to combat the outbreak have already started to affect seasonal migrant agricultural workers and their children in the context of various crops and farming locations.
Taking a look at present year work plans of 70 agricultural intermediaries interviewed we see that 10,000 agricultural workers they represent will be on the move, starting from April 2020, for a period of 5 months covering 20 provinces. Considering hundreds of thousands of workers engaged in agricultural production in Turkey, this mobility entails significant risks for these workers, their children and local population in provinces/districts they will be moving to.
Meanwhile, in interviews conducted with farmers and agricultural chambers in sample provinces of Adana, Ankara, Bursa, Düzce, Eskişehir, Hatay, İzmir, Konya, Malatya, Manisa, Mersin, Ordu, Giresun, İstanbul and Şanlıurfa it was stated that production would be affected with decreased yield and output in some crops compared to earlier years in case seasonal migrant labour force that is needed cannot come. Consequently, interruptions in food supply chains may emerge in case specific needs arising from the mobility of seasonal agricultural labour are not taken into account while designing measures to combat and control the outbreak.
Given this, the major objective of the survey is to expose the risks that confront, in the context of the global Covid-19 pandemic, seasonal migrant agricultural workers and their children as one of the most vulnerable and invisible groups in society and to contribute to the development of policies to minimize these risks. The study will also analyse possible effects on production and daily life of work day losses that may be incurred as a result of measures taken against the outbreak.
In this context the rapid assessment report first presents a framework related to what is happening in the world in relation to the impact of the Covid-19 outbreak on agricultural production. This is followed by an analysis on how counter-outbreak measures adopted in Turkey in the period 25 March – 15 April 2020 affected the employment of migrant agricultural workers in the sample provinces of Adana, Ankara, Bolu, Çorum, Giresun, Isparta, Konya and Sakarya.
The survey was designed to reach four fundamental data by using three different methods. The first is the desktop study carried out by the survey team. Developments taking place in the world and in Turkey in the period 15 March 2020 – 20 April 2020 were followed on the press and statements made by relevant agencies and the survey design was completed on the basis of findings obtained from this survey.
Secondly, the Development Workshop created a Whatsapp (now including more than 80 members) group through contacts established during various past activities which is composed of actors and institutional representatives from a variety of areas. This ensured continuously updated information flow from different localities and actors and made it possible to confirm information obtained when necessary. In the context of counter-outbreak activities, an institutional capacity assessment was made with this communication platform comprising the United Nations (UN) agencies, agricultural intermediaries, private firms, professional organizations and participants from civil society to disseminate, update and discuss the outcomes of the survey.
Thirdly, telephone conversations were made in the period 6-12 April 2020 with two major clusters on the current situation, possible developments and suggestions for solutions. The first cluster consists of 70 agricultural intermediaries out of a universe of 298 as distributed by regions/crops. 70 intermediaries selected for interviewing so as to cover at least 12 provinces receiving seasonal workers (Adana, Ankara, Bursa, Düzce, Eskişehir, Hatay, İzmir, Konya, Malatya, Manisa, Mersin and Ordu). The second cluster is composed of 34 interviewees. They are representatives of public agencies, farmers’ unions, civil society organizations, private sector firms, agricultural chambers and professional organizations from at least 10 provinces (Adana, Ankara, Bursa, Düzce, Eskişehir, Konya, Malatya, Manisa, Ordu and Şanlıurfa) plus staff from international organizations (Food and Agriculture Organization and United Nations Population Fund).
It is observed that among measures adopted to combat the disease, curfew, travel restrictions and measures related to boarding and hygiene conditions will have their significant effects on agricultural production and some uncertainties related to enforcement will further aggravate these effects.
Presently, as documented long ago, inadequate and unfavourable living and sheltering conditions prevailing in temporary tent camps rooming in many seasonal migrant workers affect the health status of workers and their families and now they further aggravate health risks in the face of the outbreak. Thus, necessary measures must be introduced in these areas and regular health examinations must be conducted while informing workers about the outbreak and symptoms of the disease. Further, necessary support in necessary materials (i.e. soap, water, antibacterial jells, etc.) to ensure that recommendations related to personal hygiene are actually practised.
Interviews with agricultural intermediaries suggest that measures related to travel in particular will increase the cost of travel for agricultural workers. The government must adopt necessary measures to cover this unexpected cost increase and introduce solutions to provide adequate means of transportation to workers.
In order to keep control over possible effects of the Covid-19 measures on crop farming, seasonal migrant agricultural workers and their children, there is need for a body to coordinate and conciliate central decision making in agricultural production on the one hand and specific needs arising from production processes in different provinces. This body or institution must remain in fruitful consultation and communication with important actors in agricultural production including agricultural intermediaries, local headmen, relevant professional organizations, civil society organizations and private sector firms. This suggestion is further detailed in the conclusion part of the report.