Climate Migrants Find Opportunity in UK’s Seasonal Farm Work

As climate change displaces millions worldwide, an environmental campaigner in Britain has devised an innovative solution: recruiting seasonal farm workers from climate-affected regions to address labor shortages in the country’s horticulture industry.

Naseem Talukdar, a second-generation Bangladeshi from Bristol, founded Regency Ltd, a recruitment firm that has enlisted hundreds of workers from Bangladesh, India, and Sri Lanka to bolster productivity and produce delivery to food outlets across the United Kingdom.

“The farming industry in the UK benefits from employees with an agriculture-rich background, while the workers can earn a good wage to reinvest in their family and community,” said Mr. Talukdar, who also founded the charity Projects Against Plastic (PAP) and helped launch a Plastic Free Ramadan campaign.

The initiative has proven fruitful for both parties. Several Bangladeshi laborers recruited through Regency have been named among the top ten strawberry pickers at a farm in the South-West, prompting the owners to increase their intake of Bangladeshi workers tenfold.

“Bangladeshi workers are used to working on the ground, such as in the rice fields, which requires flexibility. They have the skills and experience for fruit picking,” explained Mr. Talukdar, who is also the director for social responsibility and sustainability for UK Curry Connect (UKCC), a campaign group raising awareness of skills shortages in the Asian catering industry.

A Legacy of Opportunity

Mr. Talukdar’s forefathers came to the UK seeking work opportunities and, in turn, contributed to its economy and society. His grandfather, who hailed from a small village in Bangladesh, served with the British Navy during World War II, while his parents were restaurateurs who engaged in charity and community work.

“I’ve seen how such opportunities can be beneficial all-round. I am indebted to those who came before me and would like to help others pursue a better life where possible,” said Mr. Talukdar, a University of the West of England (UWE) IT graduate who has won numerous awards for his charity work.

“Workers can earn a good wage in the UK, allowing them to reinvest in their community back home, provide for their families and support their children’s education.”

The Growing Crisis of Climate Displacement

The urgency of Mr. Talukdar’s initiative is underscored by the escalating global crisis of climate displacement. According to the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC), an international non-governmental organization, more than 30 million people were internally displaced by weather-related disasters in 2022 alone.

Phil Cole, a senior lecturer in politics and international relations at UWE with expertise in climate migration, warns that the challenge of climate displacement is poised to dominate global politics in the future, if not already.

“We know climate displacement is not a problem that lies in the future – it is already with us and has been impacting millions of people for many years,” said Mr Cole, whose book “Global Displacement in the Twenty-first Century” draws attention to those displaced due to environmental reasons.

Moreover, Mr Cole believes the number of those displaced may be even higher if slow-onset disasters, such as rising sea levels and salinization – the increase of salt concentration in soil, which is among the most critical threats to agriculture and food security – are also factored in.

Bangladesh, a country that has experienced more than 185 adverse weather events over the past 20 years and where 75 per cent of the land is technically submerged, serves as a stark example of the climate crisis’s impact.

“We work with those affected by natural disasters, which impacts on their health and livelihoods,” said Mr. Talukdar. “We are looking at holistic approaches to sustainability – from using plastic-free products to reducing waste to finding more sustainable agricultural methods.”

The Debate Over ‘Climate Refugees’

While the term ‘climate refugees’ has gained traction to describe those displaced by the effects of climate change and global warming, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has cautioned against its use, concerned it could undermine the protection in place for political refugees.

Currently, there is some legal protection for those displaced by climate change where they are exposed to life-threatening risks or cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment. However, some human rights organizations believe the concept of ‘climate refugee’ could help give the issue more urgency and provide more assistance for those displaced.

“For now they [refugees] are the focus of political attention in the sense of being seen as a threat to security and stability,” said Professor Cole, who has written extensively on international migration and human rights. “Perhaps the concept of the climate refugee can change that focus to one of human rights and assistance for the displaced.”

Ethical Recruitment and Worker Protection

Regency’s mission is to ‘create an environment where every job seeker’s dreams are realised without fear of exploitation or extortion.’ The firm does not charge workers recruitment fees and is licensed by the Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority (GLAA).

Aligned with several of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Regency has also created an ethical charter to ensure workers’ rights are protected.

“Sadly, there are many cases of unscrupulous third parties taking advantage of vulnerable people. This includes charging fees and mistreating workers,” said Mr. Talukdar. “We deal with workers directly and are committed to being fair and transparent. We want to build a future where ethical recruitment practices flourish and the cycle of abuse is broken.”

Regency boasts a 100 per cent rate of workers returning home after their seasonal work is completed, a testament to the mutually beneficial and respectful relationship between the recruiters, farm owners, and workers, with incentives to return the following year, according to Mr Talukdar.

A Lifeline for Climate-Affected Families

For Asadur Rahman, a 40-year-old father of three young daughters from Baniyachong, the largest village in Asia located in north-east Bangladesh, seasonal work in the UK has proven a lifeline.

Rice paddies in the region grow just once a year and have been at risk of flash floods, which have been taking place earlier in the year – before crops can be harvested. Many farmers have had to sell their cattle and other valuables, while others leave their homes for nearby towns to find manual work.

Following a bad season, Mr. Rahman had to borrow from friends and family to put food on the table. “I was losing money and trying to survive that year. We cannot rely on harvests in Bangladesh with the extreme weather, including floods and storms,” he said.

“The seasonal work in the UK helps me to overcome the loss and is a far better rate of pay than I receive back home. It has helped me to get out of debt and fix my roof, which was leaking. I’ve also been able to pay off school fees and hire a private tutor to improve my children’s quality of education.”

Beyond providing for his family, Mr Rahman has also contributed towards a community tube well, ensuring access to fresh water for drinking, washing, and cooking in his village.

“I enjoyed my time in the UK and it was great to make friends with people from other countries and cultures,” said Mr. Rahman, who is set to return this summer. “We worked hard but also had fun. The organisers have been supportive and this scheme gives us an opportunity to earn good money to reinvest in our family and improve our lifestyle.”

As the global climate crisis intensifies, initiatives like Regency Ltd offer a glimmer of hope, providing sustainable employment opportunities for those displaced by environmental disasters while addressing labour shortages in industries worldwide.