Mamadou Diop, 52, stands in front of the strawberry farm where he works as a seasonal worker in Palos de la Frontera, Spain on October 16. Born in Senegal, Diop speaks more than five languages. He lives in makeshift houses near farms and sends money back to his wife and children in Joal Fadiouth, Senegal.
Ricci Shryock for NPR
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Ricci Shryock for NPR
Mamadou Diop, 52, stands in front of the strawberry farm where he works as a seasonal worker in Palos de la Frontera, Spain on October 16. Born in Senegal, Diop speaks more than five languages. He lives in makeshift houses near farms and sends money back to his wife and children in Joal Fadiouth, Senegal.
Ricci Shryock for NPR
If you’ve ever eaten strawberries, chances are they are grown in a southern Spanish province called Huelva.
Spain is the second largest strawberry producer, after the United States.
And Huelva’s jurisdiction is home to 80% of the country’s berries, in an increasingly demanding industry.
This work takes place year-round and requires field workers to take on the repetitive task of planting seedlings and then harvesting when ready. This job often falls on migrants, many of whom are from Africa.
They describe the difficult conditions in the fields and to their bosses, who are often slow to give them working papers. When not working, they have to worry about avoiding the police and danger in a nearby settlement, where most of them live.
Listen to our full report by clicking or tapping the play button above.
