Almería province in southern Spain, known as Europe’s vegetable garden, relies on a labor force that includes thousands of illegal immigrants living in makeshift settlements. Workers such as 44‑year‑old Amoateng Foster, a former math teacher from Ghana, now earn between four and eight euros per hour while toiling in hot, cramped greenhouses that supply fresh produce across Europe.
Living conditions in informal settlements
Foster and hundreds of others reside in the settlement of Don Domingo de Arriba near Níjar. The community lacks official electricity and running water, with homes built from salvaged bricks, tires and plastic. “It’s not rosy here,” Foster said, describing the daily reality of surviving without proper documentation.
Charitable groups, including the local chapter of the Mercedarian Sisters of Charity, provide food baskets and language lessons. Sister Francisca, 80, emphasized that the organization does not attract migrants but merely assists those already seeking a dignified life and the ability to support families back home.
Wage disparity and labor demand
Government data lists more than 70,000 workers registered with social security in Almería’s agricultural sector, but unions and NGOs estimate over 110,000 laborers, 90% of whom are foreign nationals. Those with legal status typically earn the minimum wage of eight euros ($9.25) per hour, while many undocumented workers report earning as little as four euros per hour for physically demanding work.
Business owners argue that intense competition among supermarket chains forces them to keep production costs low, which they say necessitates cheap labor. “They need us,” Foster explained, acknowledging the economic dependence on migrant workers.
Government response and broader context
Spanish authorities claim to be addressing the issue through an amnesty program that offers nearly half a million undocumented migrants who have been in the country for at least five months a path to legal status. Nonetheless, the influx of migrants continues to fuel political debate across Europe, with right‑leaning parties criticizing Spain’s migration policies and some accusing charities of creating pull factors.
Frontex, the EU border agency, notes that the Western Mediterranean route—including crossings from Algeria and Morocco into southern Spain—remains a primary pathway for migrants seeking work in the region’s greenhouse industry.
Human impact
Stories like Foster’s and Moroccan mother Amal’s, who arrived seven months ago to pick strawberries and now faces unemployment and separation from her children, highlight the personal toll of the labor shortage. Amal described her desperation, saying, “There’s no work, no place to live, no papers. My kids are far away.”
Charities continue to distribute food to an estimated 20‑50 families per day, depending on donation levels, while advocating for greater respect and dignity for all workers, regardless of legal status.
Original reporting: KRDO (Colorado Springs metro) — read the source article.
