Large-scale agricultural industry, women workers, and the implications for child development: the case of the Ecuadorian flower industry

Friday, January 22
1-2pm (Q&A until 2:30)
School of Public Health, room 1755

Alexis Handal, PhD, MPH, Associate Professor in the Department of Family and Community Medicine at the University of New Mexico.

Industrial agriculture is an increasingly important component of the economies of developing countries, accounting for a large percentage of the production of goods for use in industrialized countries. Women of reproductive age have become an integral part of the labor force of corporate agricultural industry. However, few studies have detailed the occupational hazards confronted by women employed in these industries.

The Ecuadorian cut-flower industry is a key example and provides an opportunity to evaluate the occupational, environmental and social impacts of large-scale agricultural production on nearby communities and workers. Findings from research conducted in a flower-growing region of Ecuador will be discussed.

Sponsored by the Center for Occupational Health and Safety Engineering
Contact Information: Stephanie Bolz slbolz@umich.edu