IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jworld/v4y2023i3p39-636d1244675.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Social Life Cycle Analysis of Intensive Greenhouse Farming: A Qualitative View of Tomato Production in Almeria (Spain)

Author

Listed:
  • Miriam Martín-Moreno

    (ICAI School of Engineering, Universidad Pontificia Comillas, 28015 Madrid, Spain)

  • Katia Hueso-Kortekaas

    (ICAI School of Engineering, Universidad Pontificia Comillas, 28015 Madrid, Spain)

  • Jose C. Romero

    (Institute for Research in Technology (IIT), ICAI School of Engineering, Universidad Pontificia Comillas, 28015 Madrid, Spain)

Abstract

This paper presents an exploratory qualitative Social Life Cycle Analysis (S-LCA) of intensive greenhouse tomato farming in Almeria, Spain, with a specific focus on the social impacts on migrant workers. By setting as a functional unit the production of 10 kg of greenhouse tomato, the study investigates the social dynamics and challenges faced by migrant workers within the industry. The research sheds light on the negative aspects of intensive greenhouse farming for migrants, i.e., labor conditions, health and safety risks, social inequality, and exploitation of migrant labor. Utilizing document analysis, this study contributes to the field of S-LCA by providing a nuanced understanding of the social dimensions surrounding tomato production and migrant workers’ experiences. It emphasizes the need for sustainable practices, improved labor conditions, and ethical considerations to ensure a socially responsible tomato farming industry. The findings have implications for policymakers, industry stakeholders, and consumers, providing insights for informed decision-making and the promotion of socially sustainable agricultural practices that prioritize the well-being and rights of migrant workers in the context of intensive greenhouse farming in Almeria.

Suggested Citation

  • Miriam Martín-Moreno & Katia Hueso-Kortekaas & Jose C. Romero, 2023. "Social Life Cycle Analysis of Intensive Greenhouse Farming: A Qualitative View of Tomato Production in Almeria (Spain)," World, MDPI, vol. 4(3), pages 1-13, September.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jworld:v:4:y:2023:i:3:p:39-636:d:1244675
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2673-4060/4/3/39/pdf
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2673-4060/4/3/39/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Ruqun Wu & Dan Yang & Jiquan Chen, 2014. "Social Life Cycle Assessment Revisited," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 6(7), pages 1-27, July.
    2. Katia Hueso-Kortekaas & José C. Romero & Raquel González-Felipe, 2021. "Energy-Environmental Impact Assessment of Greenhouse Grown Tomato: A Case Study in Almeria (Spain)," World, MDPI, vol. 2(3), pages 1-17, September.
    3. Yoan Molinero-Gerbeau & Ana López-Sala & Monica Șerban, 2021. "On the Social Sustainability of Industrial Agriculture Dependent on Migrant Workers. Romanian Workers in Spain’s Seasonal Agriculture," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(3), pages 1-17, January.
    4. Manolis Manioudis & Giorgos Meramveliotakis, 2022. "Broad strokes towards a grand theory in the analysis of sustainable development: a return to the classical political economy," New Political Economy, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 27(5), pages 866-878, September.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Hui Wang & Yao Xu, 2024. "Optimized Decision-Making for Multi-Market Green Power Transactions of Electricity Retailers under Demand-Side Response: The Chinese Market Case Study," Energies, MDPI, vol. 17(11), pages 1-16, May.
    2. Hannah Karlewski & Annekatrin Lehmann & Klaus Ruhland & Matthias Finkbeiner, 2019. "A Practical Approach for Social Life Cycle Assessment in the Automotive Industry," Resources, MDPI, vol. 8(3), pages 1-60, August.
    3. Marcos Lacasa Cazcarra, 2024. "Machine Learning Analysis of the Impact of Increasing the Minimum Wage on Income Inequality in Spain from 2001 to 2021," Papers 2402.02402, arXiv.org.
    4. Ginevra Malta & Fulvio Plescia & Stefania Zerbo & Maria Gabriella Verso & Serena Matera & Alenka Skerjanc & Emanuele Cannizzaro, 2024. "Work and Environmental Factors on Job Burnout: A Cross-Sectional Study for Sustainable Work," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(8), pages 1-12, April.
    5. Donghong Wu & Yiren Chen, 2023. "Digital Inclusive Finance Development and Labor Productivity: Based on a Capital-Deepening Perspective," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(12), pages 1-17, June.
    6. Khodran Alzahrani & Mubashar Ali & Muhammad Imran Azeem & Bader Alhafi Alotaibi, 2023. "Efficacy of Public Extension and Advisory Services for Sustainable Rice Production," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 13(5), pages 1-17, May.
    7. Jootae Kim & Sungjin Son & Ick Jin, 2022. "The Effects of Shareholding of the National Pension Fund on Environmental, Social, Governance, and Financial Performance: Evidence from the Korean Manufacturing Industry," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(18), pages 1-17, September.
    8. Henryk Dzwigol & Aleksy Kwilinski & Oleksii Lyulyov & Tetyana Pimonenko, 2024. "Digitalization and Energy in Attaining Sustainable Development: Impact on Energy Consumption, Energy Structure, and Energy Intensity," Energies, MDPI, vol. 17(5), pages 1-17, March.
    9. Lei Niu & Lulu Yuan & Zhongmin Ding & Yifu Zhao, 2023. "How Do Support Pressure and Urban Housing Purchase Affect the Homecoming Decisions of Rural Migrant Workers? Evidence from Rural China," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 13(8), pages 1-28, July.
    10. Flávio Mattos & João Luiz Calmon, 2023. "Social Life Cycle Assessment in Municipal Solid Waste Management Systems with Contribution of Waste Pickers: Literature Review and Proposals for New Studies," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(2), pages 1-18, January.
    11. Teodor Marian Cojocaru & George H. Ionescu & Daniela Firoiu & Laura Mariana Cismaș & Maria Daniela Oțil & Ovidiu Toma, 2022. "Reducing Inequalities within and among EU Countries—Assessing the Achievement of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Targets (SDG 10)," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(13), pages 1-22, June.
    12. Kai Xu, 2023. "Challenges, Opportunities and Future Paths: Environmental Governance of Big Data Initiatives in China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(13), pages 1-15, June.
    13. Gantian Zheng & Weiwei Wang & Chang Jiang & Fan Jiang, 2023. "Can Rural Industrial Convergence Improve the Total Factor Productivity of Agricultural Environments: Evidence from China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(23), pages 1-20, November.
    14. Danhong Shen & Haimeng Liang & Wangfang Shi, 2023. "Rural Population Aging, Capital Deepening, and Agricultural Labor Productivity," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(10), pages 1-12, May.
    15. Yao Dinard Kouadio & Amètépé Nathanaël Beauclair Anani & Bonoua Faye & Yadong Fan, 2023. "Determinants Influencing Cocoa Farmers’ Satisfaction with Input Credit in the Nawa Region of Côte d’Ivoire," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(14), pages 1-17, July.
    16. Solène Sureau & François Lohest & Joris Van Mol & Tom Bauler & Wouter M. J. Achten, 2019. "Participation in S-LCA: A Methodological Proposal Applied to Belgian Alternative Food Chains (Part 1)," Resources, MDPI, vol. 8(4), pages 1-24, September.
    17. Can Li & Qi He & Han Ji & Shengguo Yu & Jiao Wang, 2023. "Reexamining the Impact of Global Value Chain Participation on Regional Economic Growth: New Evidence Based on a Nonlinear Model and Spatial Spillover Effects with Panel Data from Chinese Cities," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(18), pages 1-31, September.
    18. Ann Kristin Meyer & Andreas Dutzi, 2024. "What Earnings Management Has to Do with Corporate Social Responsibility," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(7), pages 1-25, March.
    19. Xinrui Liu & Xinling Zhang, 2023. "The Impact of the Digital Economy on High-Quality Development of Specialized Farmers’ Cooperatives: Evidence from China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(10), pages 1-18, May.
    20. Yijiao Wang & Guoguang Zhou & Ting Li & Xiao Wei, 2019. "Comprehensive Evaluation of the Sustainable Development of Battery Electric Vehicles in China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(20), pages 1-27, October.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jworld:v:4:y:2023:i:3:p:39-636:d:1244675. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.