How Does Heat Affect the Health of Migrants Working in Agriculture in Southern Europe?

CATALYSE studies how high temperatures affect the health of migrant agricultural workers in Europe and proposes health-centered climate adaptation measures.

How does climate change affect the health of migrant workers in agriculture? And how can healthcare systems respond better to this reality? Through the European project CATALYSE, we explore these questions in three key countries: Spain, Italy, and Austria. Our goal is to place health at the center of climate adaptation, especially for those in the most vulnerable situations.

Agriculture, Migration, and Heat: The Case of Almería

Each year, more than 800,000 people work in seasonal outdoor agricultural jobs in Europe. Many of these people are migrants. In Almería, southern Spain, this reality is especially visible. With over 33,000 hectares of greenhouses—referred to as the "Orchard of Europe" by some, or “the sea of plastic” by others—the province is home to the country’s largest fruit and vegetable production and also one of the largest populations of migrant workers. Nearly 20% of the population is foreign-born, with many living in precarious conditions in informal settlements without access to drinking water, electricity, or basic infrastructure.

"Sea of plastic" in Almería. (c) Neal Haddaway / www.nealhaddaway.com 2025

In this context, heat becomes a silent risk. Those working under plastic during the day and sleeping in plastic homes at night endure summer temperatures exceeding 40°C and more frequent moderate heat with no place to cool down. This puts them at greater risk of not only WASH-related diseases, but heat-related illnesses.

Better Understanding Vulnerability

At CATALYSE, we have already conducted over 400 questionnaires and 22 interviews in Spain, Italy, and Austria to better understand how migrant workers perceive heat risks, how they access healthcare, and what barriers they face. In Almería, we also met with healthcare workers from primary care centers to hear about their experience with this population.

The information gathered will be used to develop training materials, guidelines, and interventions to help healthcare systems adapt better to the needs of these communities.

A Field Visit to Listen to Local Actors

In March 2025, we visited Almería to meet with local organizations, labour unions, healthcare professionals, and NGOs. We wanted to understand the political and social context, the ongoing initiatives, and explore how the results of CATALYSE can help improve the situation. The recent publication of the Strategic Plan for the Eradication of Informal Settlements by the Andalusian Government presents a key opportunity to integrate health as a central action point.

Almería. (c) Neal Haddaway / www.nealhaddaway.com 2025

Health-Centered Climate Adaptation

Climate change does not affect everyone equally. In the case of migrant workers in agriculture, exposure to heat is compounded by other forms of vulnerability: precarious living conditions, informal employment, language barriers, or legal challenges.

CATALYSE aims to promote climate adaptation that centers on the health and rights of the most exposed individuals and to transform scientific evidence into societal impact to give a voice to those who are often unheard.

What We Have Discovered So Far

So far in Spain, we have conducted 300 interviews with migrant farmworkers in Almería and Lerida in the summer of 2024. Initial results show that most participants were male (94.7%) and primarily from Senegal (25%), Morocco (24%), and Colombia (14%). Nearly half (42.3%) reported experiencing at least three heat-related illness (HRI) symptoms during the hot season, with a higher prevalence in Almería (59.1%) than in Lerida (30%). While common symptoms included thirst (59%), headache (54.7%), and muscle cramps (37.3%), only 8% sought medical care; most recognized heat as a health risk and supported preventive measures like proper clothing (76.3%) and hydration (94% drank at least 2 liters of water).