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Syrian refugee labour and food insecurity in Middle Eastern agriculture during the early COVID‐19 pandemic

Author

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  • Ann‐Christin ZUNTZ
  • Mackenzie KLEMA
  • Shaher ABDULLATEEF
  • Stella MAZERI
  • Salim Faisal ALNABOLSI
  • Abdulellah ALFADEL
  • Joy ABI‐HABIB
  • Maria AZAR
  • Clara CALIA
  • Joseph BURKE
  • Liz GRANT
  • Lisa BODEN

Abstract

Drawing on ethnographic data from the 2019 SyrianFoodFutures and the 2020 From the FIELD projects, this article provides insights into the early effects of the COVID‐19 pandemic on refugee labour in agriculture in Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria and Turkey. In spring 2020, movement restrictions and supply chain disruptions caused displaced Syrian farmworkers to lose their jobs and face increased food insecurity. The authors situate their findings in the context of host countries' use of legal ambiguity in governing refugees, Middle Eastern agriculture's reliance on migrant labour, and the region's long‐standing food insecurity. They conclude that formalizing refugee labour cannot alone address exploitation.

Suggested Citation

  • Ann‐Christin ZUNTZ & Mackenzie KLEMA & Shaher ABDULLATEEF & Stella MAZERI & Salim Faisal ALNABOLSI & Abdulellah ALFADEL & Joy ABI‐HABIB & Maria AZAR & Clara CALIA & Joseph BURKE & Liz GRANT & Lisa BOD, 2022. "Syrian refugee labour and food insecurity in Middle Eastern agriculture during the early COVID‐19 pandemic," International Labour Review, International Labour Organization, vol. 161(2), pages 245-266, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:intlab:v:161:y:2022:i:2:p:245-266
    DOI: 10.1111/ilr.12348
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    3. World Bank, 2020. "The Mobility of Displaced Syrians," World Bank Publications - Books, The World Bank Group, number 31205.
    4. Zeynep Sahin Mencutek & Ayat J. Nashwan, 2021. "Perceptions About the Labor Market Integration of Refugees: Evidences from Syrian Refugees in Jordan," Journal of International Migration and Integration, Springer, vol. 22(2), pages 615-633, June.
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    Cited by:

    1. Doua Ahmed & Pierina Benavente & Esperanza Diaz, 2023. "Food Insecurity among International Migrants during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Scoping Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(7), pages 1-14, March.

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