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| Indigenous Workers of Coffee Industry | |||||||
| Paper Id :
16902 Submission Date :
19/10/2022 Acceptance Date :
23/10/2022 Publication Date :
25/10/2022
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| Abstract | Due to the export potential of coffee as well as the reliance of the vast majority of coffee growers (98% of holdings) on the crop for sustenance, the issues and challenges of coffee growers take a heightened level of importance. In this study, an attempt is made to assess the concerns of coffee growers in the Indian state of Karnataka in terms of selling and marketing, the availability of financing, expenses, the cost of fertilisers, storage issues, coffee exports, weather, and rainfall, among other factors. In order to study the aforementioned problems of coffee growers, data gathered from primary sources, i.e. with the help of a questionnaire, were analysed using simple statistical tools, and it was determined that coffee growers in Karnataka are facing a great deal of difficulty in growing coffee and sustaining in the market. Furthermore, it was determined that the majority of coffee growers in Karnataka are facing operational costs, with 90 percent of respondents citing this as a problem. In order for coffee growers in the state of Karnataka to overcome their difficulties, it is imperative that the government of Karnataka provide assistance. So that it will not just benefit coffee farmers, but also society as a whole. | ||||||
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| Keywords | Indigenous, Workers, Coffee Industry. | ||||||
| Introduction |
Indigenous peoples are ethnic groups defined as "indigenous" by one of several definitions. This definition applies only to indigenous peoples under international law. In the late 20th century, the term began to be used primarily to refer to ethnic groups that have historical ties to groups that existed in a territory prior to colonisation or nation state formation and usually maintain a degree of cultural and political separation from the mainstream culture and political system of the nation state within whose borders the indigenous group is located. These groups are politically vulnerable to state exploitation and oppression. Thus, the UN, ILO, and World Bank have established a special set of political rights in accordance with international law. The UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples protects indigenous peoples' culture, identity, language, employment, health, education, and natural resources. Depending on the census and definition of "indigenous people," the global Indigenous population ranged from 220 million in 1997 to 350 million in 2004. Indigenous means “from” or "original". Thus, any people, ethnic group, or community can be called indigenous to a region or location. Over 370 million indigenous people live in 70 countries. They maintain distinct social, cultural, economic, and political traits by practising unique traditions. They are the descendants of those who lived in a country or region when people of different cultures or ethnicities arrived, from the Arctic to the South Pacific. Conquest, occupation, or settlement made the newcomers dominant.
Understanding the term “indigenous”
Given the diversity of indigenous peoples, no UN-system body has adopted an official definition of "indigenous." The system has instead developed a contemporary understanding of this term based on the following:
1. Individual self-identification as indigenous peoples and acceptance by the community as a member
2. Historical continuity with pre-colonial and/or pre-settler societies
3. Strong connection to territories and surrounding natural resources
4. Distinct social, economic or political systems
5. Distinct language, culture, and beliefs
6. Form non-dominant groups of society
7. Resolve to preserve and reproduce their ancestral environments and systems as distinct peoples and communities. |
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| Aim of study | The present study involved in conduct of studies on indigenous workers employed in coffee Industry. Its main objectives are 1. To investigate the impact of coffee industry, a traditional agro-processing industry on the socio- economic status of indigenous workers in the industry 2. To identify the problems faced by the indigenous workers in thecoffee industry. 3. To recommend the policy measures for improving the working conditions in the industry and | ||||||
| Review of Literature | In Karnataka there are many groups of people who belong to indigenous category. They are Gowdalu, Hakkipikki, Hasalaru, Jenukuruba, Kadukuruba, Kammara(in D.K), Koraga, Kuruba, (Coorg), Kumbara, Malaikudi, Malasar, Maleru, Marati, Meda, Naika, Beda, Bedar, Valmiki, Siddi, Soligaru and Toda. Coffee is an agro-based rural industry. It plays an important role in the developmentof our country. Itprovides direct and indirect employment to above 8.0 lakh people. India’s coffee plays an important role in the international coffee market. India has achieveda commendable success in coffee production and export for a long period. The State ofKarnataka is famous for coffee production and exports. Chikmagalore, Coorg and Hasandistricts are the main coffee growing districts in Karnataka. In coffee plantationsof Chikmagaloredistrict 35 percent of the workers are belong to indigenous people. They earn their livelihood by working in these coffee plantations from many years. The growth or problem of coffee plantation will directly effect on the socio- economic condition of large number of indigenous people in this area. The present study is an attempt to conduct study in selected areas of Chickamagalore district in Karnataka. The main objective of this study is to investigate the impact of coffee plantation on the socio-economic status of indigenous workers of the coffee plantation. The study is based on primary data and secondary data from various sources. |
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| Methodology | For this study, data is collected using oral interview techniques and observation method to identify socio- economic character ofindigenous workers in the study area. Data is collected from 50 respondents of Mudigere, Chickamangalore and NarasimhaRajapurataluk in Chickamagalore district where more coffee plantations are located. |
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| Result and Discussion | Socio - economic conditions of respondents Literacy and Coffee Industry: Chickamagalore is one of the moderate literate districts having literacy rate of 65 %. In our survey, out of 50 respondents nearly35% of them were literate(Of these, 70% of workers had studied up to 7th standard level).65% of total workers are uneducated. In coffee industry most of the sections workers are both literate and illiterate. It appears that there is no link between the section where the worker works and their literacy. This means that literacy appears to play a limited role in accessing jobs in coffee industry. Age Pattern of the Workers: Majority of the workers are in the age group of 40 to60. Out of 50 workers, 65% belong to 41-60 and 35% are in 18-40 age group. The age distribution of workers indicates a pattern in which more workers are in old age and fewer workers are in young age. It implies that young generation after getting their education moving towards cities in search of jobs instead of working in coffee plantation. Caste:A rigid caste-based segregation of work was not found in the surveyed area. Workers belong to different indigenous groups are working in coffee plantations.They include mainly Hasalaru, Gowdlu, Koraga, Malaikudi, Marati, Naika and Maleru. Marital Status: More than 70% of the respondents were married. It may be noted that they were married at an early age of 18 to 25 and in some cases women workers are married before the age of 18 years. Employers prefer married workers to unmarried because their turnover rate is less. Wages: As the coffee industry comes under the Minimum Wages Act of 1948, the workers should be paid wages as per regular revisions. Some of the workers are paid on piece rate wages and some were paid on time rate system. The payment is made once in a week. In organized industry at present minimum wage is Rupees 130.09 per day and it is proposed to raise Rs.141.85 from April 2012. At the harvest season overtime payment is also made to the workers who are more efficient. In unorganized industry on an average women workers are getting Rs.120-150 per day and male workers are earning Rs.200 to 225 per day and in some season men workers earned more than Rs.500 per day.In organized industry they alsoprovide leave salary and provident fund facility to its regular workers. In addition to this every year bonus will be given to the workers on the basis of annual wages earned by them. Labour unions: It is also observed that the awareness about their rights and privileges are less inthese indigenous workers. It is estimated that about 40% of total workers are in organized sector and 60% are in unorganized sector. However in organized sector 90% of the indigenous workers belong to A.I.T.U.C and 10% belong to other trade unions. Impact of the Industry Qualitative Change in indigenous workers’ life In most of the cases the survey found the workers to have an uncritical view of the industry so far as its impact on the quality of their life is concerned. Most of the workers feel it has had positive impact on their socio-economic life. Hence, probing them about their legitimate rights at the workplace does not make much sense. This can only be understood by first hand experience of their living and working conditions and which was done during the field survey. It is perhaps because of the lack of an uncritical approach of the workers towards the industry they give a least response to any call given by trade unions. However, our survey revealed several facts where workers are highly critical of the industry viz its impact on their lives. In my study area it is also revealed that many women workers paid their child school fee, cost of the dress and other house hold expenses with the help of their own earnings without depending on men earnings.Most of the workers earn just above or equal to poverty line earnings and majority of respondents said that they save their earnings for various purposes. Besides spending their income for family expenses, educating the children, meeting day-to-day expenses, they buy jewellery, utensils and clothes. To meet these needs, chit funds, savings scheme organized by NGOs, Dharmastalaself-help group organizations, Streeshaktisanga,in some cases post offices, and banks and LIC are the institutions of saving for the coffee workers in the study area. However, to others the industry has done more harm than good. It is adversely affecting not only the health of the individual workers but also the social fabric in the area. One worker said: “There is no improvement in my life even after working in the plantation for so many years. I am so fed up with this work that I feel like stopping it and staying back at home. Problems ofindigenous workers The following problems are listed out by observation and interview. They are: 1. The workers are paid on the basis of weekly wages, by that workers are not getting wages for all the days. 2. In unorganized sector indigenous workers have no any job security. If they fall sick they may not have any income for their livelihood. 3. Less pay is another grievance of the workers. Day by day the prices of necessary goods are Increasing in the market, indigenous workers in the coffee industry could not uplift their Standard of living as the wages is not increasing correspondingly. 4. Indigenous workers are feeling that, they are not getting equal treatment by others due to caste factor.
Coffee Industry and Indigeneous Workers
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| Conclusion | From the above study it is concluded that coffee industry in chickamangaloredistrict provides employment to huge number of indigenous workers. It has made a tremendous impact on the employment market and rural economy in the district particularly in Mudigere, chickamangalore and N.R. Purataluk, where more number of coffee plantations are located. No doubt coffee industry in these area put positive impact on indigenous workers by providing regular employment and good earnings for their livelihood but still they are suffering from the problem of unsecurity in jobs, low wages and unequal treatment in the society. | ||||||
| Suggestions for the future Study | (1) In the study area, workers participation in the union activities is negligible. The immediate task is to mobilise them for organizational activities and build up a leadership out of them, which at the moment is non-existent. (2) To start with, in every plantation the forum has to mobilize the indigeneous workers, educate them about the need for mass mobilization to prepare strategies to counter the tactics employed by their employer in order to evade their legitimate wages and social security provisions. (3) In the changing social, economic and political scenario, the mass organisations should be more innovative to response to the new challenges to protect the rights of the workers in the industry. (5) With regard to social inequality the government has to take steps to improve socio economic Status of indigenous workers. |
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| References | 1. Ambinakudige, S. (2009). The global coffee crisis and Indian farmers: The livelihood vulnerability of smallholders. Canadian Journal of Development Studies/Revue canadienned'études du développement, 28(3-4), 553-566.
2. Chattopadhyay, M. (2019). Mechanization: an issue for coffee curing workers of India. Indian Journal of Economics and Development, 7(6).
3. Jayanthi, R., &Aditya, R. (2019). A Study on Working-Conditions of Small Coffee Plantation Workers in Chikmagaluru-Karnataka. Pramana Research Journal, 9(6).
4. Nethrayini, K. R., Naik, V., &Rangegowda, R. (2020). IMPACT OF COVID-19 PANDEMIC ON COFFEE PRODUCTION AND EXPORTS IN INDIA. ANGRAU, 80.
5. Sunanda, H. S., &Nagaraja, N. (2014). A study on problems of coffee growers in the state of Karnataka. International Journal of Engineering and Management Research (IJEMR), 4(6), 109-112.
6. Viswanathan, P., & Shah, A. (2021). Gender impact of trade reforms in Indian plantation sector: An exploratory analysis. |
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