Cerignola seasonal workers live in makeshift camp amid sanitary crisis

Approximately 200 seasonal workers, primarily from North Africa, are living in an informal settlement in Via Candela on the outskirts of Cerignola, Italy. The Caritas diocesana di Cerignola-Ascoli Satriano has raised an alarm regarding the “non-existent” hygienic and sanitary conditions at the site, where residents use tents, cardboard, and makeshift materials for shelter without access to water or electricity.

The settlement typically forms annually between mid-August and mid-October during the grape harvest. Following a meeting at the Prefecture in Foggia, the Municipality of Cerignola has committed to ensuring sanitary standards and decorum, while law enforcement will increase presence in the area. However, local authorities are currently awaiting operational instructions from the Prefecture to coordinate clearing, sanitation, and relocation efforts involving the municipality, police, and local health authorities (ASL).

Deputy Mayor Maria Dibisceglia noted that the situation highlights a structural lack of dignified reception systems for agricultural laborers in the Capitanata region. A previous proposal to convert an old barracks into a reception center was stalled after an 8-million-euro funding request to the government received no follow-up, leaving the municipality without long-term structural alternatives.