Agribusiness and Informality in Border Regions in Europe and North America: Avenues of Integration or Roads to Exploitation?

ABSTRACT

Agribusiness is a globalized industry typified by capital-intensive, large-scale production for domestic and foreign markets. The employment of both migrant and immigrant laborers, and the informality that surrounds use of these laborers, are important components to such production. This paper examines the adaptation to and negotiation of farm laborers in informal markets in conjunction with the socioeconomic development of rural communities in border regions. I present ethnographic research from two important border production zones: the Coachella Valley of Southern California in the United States, and the Campo de Dalías in Almería Province, Andalucía, Spain. Through comparison of these cases, I explore two interrelated aspects of informality in the agribusiness industry: obtaining work and finding a place to live. Establishing and maintaining social networks are key to overcoming social consequences that arise out of agribusiness practices, but their resolution differ in the Coachella Valley and Campo de Dalías. I conclude by discussing the implications of the comparison and possible avenues for further research.

Acknowledgements

I would like to thank Harlan Koff, Daniel Sabet, Brian Haley, and Juan-Vicente Palerm for their useful comments and suggestions. Many thanks go to Francisco Checa for providing me with firm footing in Almería. Finally, I would also like to thank Gilles Caspar for assistance with the maps.

ORCID

Travis Du Bry http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5963-0539

Additional information

Funding

This research was supported by a postdoctoral fellowship from Aides à la Formation-Recherche, Fonds National de la Recherche-Luxembourg [Grant No. PDR-09-021], the Consortium for Comparative Research on Regional Integration and Social Cohesion (RISC), and the Laboratoire de Sciences Politiques, Université du Luxembourg.