Child Labour a Major Issue in the Coffee Industry

In the coffee industry as in most other agricultural concerns, the primary purpose of the family farm is to support the families that operate them. Typically, these family farms produce a variety of subsistence crops in addition to at least one "cash" or export crop. In the case of the coffee farm, the income received from coffee is used to pay for products that cannot be produced on the farm itself, and to pay for other expenses such as medicines and school fees.

On these farms, children are expected to contribute to the family business. Children growing up on farms are expected to work at an early age. In many agrarian societies, children as young as five are expected to contribute by performing small tasks. Such tasks include helping in the house, harvesting subsistence crops, caring for siblings, picking or sorting coffee cherries or performing other work related to the coffee harvest. While performing these jobs, they are frequently exposed to dangerous conditions that jeopardize their health and safety.

The main reason child labor exists is the presence of poverty. The difficult life of the agricultural worker, which involves receiving little pay for what is often back-breaking work, means that all family members must participate in the process. Tragically, this means that children are often sold into bonded labour because they are so poor and see little alternative. Often the price the family farms get for coffee is often so low that there is no choice but to sell children into what amounts to slavery.

In Kenya for example, approximately four million children ranging in age from six to 14 were reported to be working in the agricultural sector. In the plantations, 50 to 60 per cent of the workers employed there were children. These children are often exposed to a variety of diseases such as malaria, influenza and pneumonia.

Although child slave labour is still a source of major concern, recent reports indicate that the number of such children is on the decline. According to the International Labor Organization, the number of slaves went from 246 million to 218 million between 2000 and 2004. This decrease is in large measure due to governmental concern, greater awareness of the problem, the decline of poverty and a newly reformed education system.

We will be discussing this problem in greater detail in another blog that will come soon.

Note: It is with great regret that I would like to acknowledge the passing away of friend and co-worker Jeff Taylor, who died in hospital last week in the company of his family. Jeff's good humour and hard-working attitude will be sorely missed by everyone at Destination Cafe.