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Seasonal sugarcane harvesters of Gujarat: trapped in a cycle of poverty

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  • Leela Visaria

    (GIDR)

  • Harish Joshi

    (GIDR)

Abstract

Based on primary data collected from the households of Dangs district in South Gujarat, India, the paper shows that every year a third of young adults migrate to Surat district and neighbouring areas for half a year to work as sugarcane harvesters. The data show that they live in temporary shelters in harsh conditions with bare minimum necessities and amenities. A large share of their earnings, much lower than the minimum wage rate for agricultural labour, is used to pay the labour contractors who provide cash advances during the lean post-monsoon months. Paying back the principal amount with hefty interest on it traps generations of migrant workers in the vicious cycle of poverty and indebtedness.

Suggested Citation

  • Leela Visaria & Harish Joshi, 2021. "Seasonal sugarcane harvesters of Gujarat: trapped in a cycle of poverty," Journal of Social and Economic Development, Springer;Institute for Social and Economic Change, vol. 23(1), pages 113-130, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:jsecdv:v:23:y:2021:i:1:d:10.1007_s40847-020-00120-2
    DOI: 10.1007/s40847-020-00120-2
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. David Mosse & Sanjeev Gupta & Mona Mehta & Vidya Shah & Julia fnms Rees & KRIBP Project Team, 2002. "Brokered livelihoods: Debt, Labour Migration and Development in Tribal Western India," Journal of Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 38(5), pages 59-88.
    2. Priya Deshingkar & Shaheen Akter, 2009. "Migration and Human Development in India," Human Development Research Papers (2009 to present) HDRP-2009-13, Human Development Report Office (HDRO), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), revised Apr 2009.
    3. Ben Rogaly & Daniel Coppard & Abdur Safique & Kumar Rana & Amrita Sengupta & Jhuma Biswas, 2002. "Seasonal Migration and Welfare/Illfare in Eastern India: A Social Analysis," Journal of Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 38(5), pages 89-114.
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Seasonal migration; Dangs; Koyta; Labour contractor; Indebtedness; Poverty;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D63 - Microeconomics - - Welfare Economics - - - Equity, Justice, Inequality, and Other Normative Criteria and Measurement
    • G51 - Financial Economics - - Household Finance - - - Household Savings, Borrowing, Debt, and Wealth

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