Farming dangers
Aim: To understand some of the dangers of farming for children. You will need: Paper, coloured pens/pencils/crayons Duration: 30 minutes
Most children who have to work in poor countries are employed in agriculture, or work on their family farms. This can be a very dangerous job for children, because of all the potential hazards involved.
Talk about some of the possible dangers:
- Weather - hot sun with no protection or water to drink is very dangerous.
- Machinery - motorized equipment can be a hazard without proper training or safety precautions.
- Positions - bending over all day (e.g. to pick crops) is bad for growing children.
- Heavy loads - having to lift things that are too heavy.
- Sharp tools - can lead to cuts, especially if the tool is too big or heavy for the child.
- Toxic chemicals - exposure to pesticides poses a much higher risk to children than adults (linked to cancer and immune system problems).
- Dust - breathing in dust is also bad for children.
Draw a picture of a child working in a farm. Illustrate some of the possible hazards for the children working in agriculture (from the list), and label them.