A UCSC-led project has launched a bilingual app and trained community health advisors to help farmworkers report and address health hazards tied to climate change across California’s agricultural regions.
UC Santa Cruz researchers and community partners have developed a bilingual mobile app and training program to protect farmworker health as climate change intensifies threats like extreme heat, poor air quality, and pesticide exposure.
Funded by a $1.99 million California Climate Action Grant, the app allows users to anonymously report hazards while accessing state data. Over 50 trained promotores (community health advisors) are now working in Pajaro, Salinas, and San Joaquin Valleys to share vital health and safety information.
This initiative, led by Distinguished Professor Matt Sparke, empowers farmworkers, raises visibility of unaddressed risks, and aims to expand to other agricultural regions, including Coachella and Imperial Valleys.
Tags: Climate & Sustainability, Health, Social Justice & Community