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

Abstract

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.