Made in Baja

The Lives of Farmworkers and Growers behind Mexico's Transnational Agricultural Boom

Christian Zlolniski

• Publisher: University of California Press
• Year: 2019
• ISBN:
  9780520971936
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Ciencias sociales
• Subtopic: Antropología cultural y social

Much of the produce that Americans eat is grown in the Mexican state of Baja California, the site of a multibillion-dollar export agricultural boom that has generated jobs and purportedly reduced poverty and labor migration to the United States. But how has this growth affected those living in Baja? Based on a decade of ethnographic fieldwork, Made in Baja examines the unforeseen consequences for residents in the region of San Quintín. The ramifications include the tripling of the region's population, mushrooming precarious colonia communities lacking basic infrastructure and services, and turbulent struggles for labor, civic, and political rights. Anthropologist Christian Zlolniski reveals the outcomes of growers structuring the industry around an insatiable demand for fresh fruits and vegetables. He also investigates the ecological damage—"watercide"—and the social side effects of exploiting natural resources for agricultural production. Weaving together stories from both farmworkers and growers, Made in Baja provides an eye-opening look at the dynamic economy developing south of the border.

Table of contents

• Cover
• Made in Baja
• Title
• Copyright
• Dedication
• CONTENTS
• List of Illustrations
• Acknowledgments
• Introduction
• 1. The Birth and Development of Export Agriculture in the San Quintín Valley
• 2. Transnational Agribusiness, Local Growers, and Discontents
• 3. Labor Recruitment: From Local to Transnational Labor Contractors
• 4. “They Want First-Class Workers with Third World Wages”: The Workplace Regime of Transnational Agriculture
• 5. Resisting the Carrilla in the Workplace: Forms of Labor Protests
• 6. Colonizing and Establishing Roots in Arid Lands
• 7. Watercide: Export Agriculture, Water Insecurity, and Social Unrest
• Conclusion
• Appendix: Policy Recommendations
• Notes
• References
• Index