Minimum welfare levels of farm workers in the San Quintín and Mexicali valleys, Baja California

Farm workers represent one of the poorest sectors of the population in Mexico, including Baja California. This study compares the welfare levels of a mostly immigrant population of indigenous workers from San Quintín Valley with those of mestizo farm workers from Mexicali Valley. Surveys were conduc...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores: Moreno-Mena, JA, Niño-Contreras, LM
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Estado:Versión publicada
Fecha de publicación:2004
País:México
Institución:Universidad Autónoma de Baja California Sur
Repositorio:Repositorio Institucional de la UABCS
Idioma:inglés
OAI Identifier:oai:repositorioinstitucional.uabc.mx:20.500.12930/7346
Acceso en línea:https://www.cienciasmarinas.com.mx/index.php/cmarinas/article/view/114
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:poverty
farm workers
welfare levels
San Quintín Valley
Mexicali Valley
pobreza
trabajadores agrícolas
niveles de bienestar
Valle de San Quintín
Valle de Mexicali
Descripción
Sumario:Farm workers represent one of the poorest sectors of the population in Mexico, including Baja California. This study compares the welfare levels of a mostly immigrant population of indigenous workers from San Quintín Valley with those of mestizo farm workers from Mexicali Valley. Surveys were conducted between 1997 and 2000 by the Instituto de Investigaciones Sociales of the Universidad Autónoma de Baja California and the Instituto Nacional Indigenista, based on the parameters proposed by the Unsatisfied Basic Needs method to measure poverty level. In general, the comparison did not reveal significant differences in welfare levels between both agricultural valleys, even though the populations compared were not homogeneous (one indigenous and the other mestizo). Both groups of families were found to live in poverty, and approximately one in four in extreme poverty. Nutrition proved to be the most unsatisfied need for both groups, followed by education. Most of the farm workers in both valleys earned minimum wage, or twice the amount, despite the region's high cost of living.