Worldwide, agriculture is among the most dangerous industries and one of the few that consistently involves children. Whether children are working or merly present in the farm worksite, they are exposed to a wide array of agricultural-related hazards which results in these children experiencing high rates of injuries and fatalities compared to children in the general population. Understanding and addressing children health and safety issues in agriculture is important from a public health and child advocacy perspective. Safeguarding children in agriculture also connects back to the social and economic sustainability of farm labor systems. While there are variations across countries, the reasons why children are involved in agriculture tend to connect back to economic necessities, access to support systems, and social reproduction of farm enterprises with implications on quality of life and work decency. Farm injuries and fatalities also have wide social and economic consequences on children, the household and farm business including disability, death, family disruptions, and economic hardships.

As much as international organizations such as the International Labor Organization have pointed to the need to address health and safety issues impacting children in agriculture, there are no concerted efforts internationally. At the country level, responses from the agricultural, scientific, and policy-making communities have occurred along a spectrum from no considerations to the development of national action plans.

Leveraging a recent special issue in Frontiers in Public Health, the goal of this interactive webinar is twofold:

• shed light on the health and safety of children in agriculture in Northern and Southern countries with an emphasis on family farm systems
• and support the development of a network of scholars and practitioners working on these topics.

Webinar agenda and presentation

• IAWA Welcome and Introduction by Nathalie Hostiou (French National Research Institute for Food, Agriculture and Environment)  IAWA introduction

• General overview by Barbara Lee (National Children’s Center for Agricultural Health and Safety – USA)  General overview

• International experiences and perspectives in children agricultural health and safety : Roundtable moderated by Florence Becot (National Children’s Center for Agricultural Health and Safety – USA)  International experiences
• Argentina: Marcos Grigioni  (Independent researcher)
• Australia: Richard Franklin (James Cook University)
• Burkina Faso: Eugenie Maiga (University Norbert Zongo)
• Sweden: Peter Lundqvist (Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences)
• United States: Barbara Lee (National Children’s Center for Agricultural Health and Safety – USA)

Webinar wrap-up and perspectives Marion Beecher (Teagasc)

Synthesis report of the Webinar

This webinar is organized jointly by The International Association on Work in Agriculture (IAWA) and the National Children’s Center for Agricultural Health and Safety (NCCRAHS) out of the United States.