Child Bondage Continues in Indian Cotton Supply Chain

Table 8 : Trends in workforce composition in cottonseed farms in Gujarat
2003-04 2006-07
Total number of farms surveyed (area in acres) 20
(38 acres)
Total number of workers engaged during cross
pollination activity
Type of labour (family vs hired)
% of family labour to total labour 13.5 %
(52)
% of hired labour to total labour 86.5 %
(332)
Hired labour (local vs migrant)
% of migrant labour to total hired labour 82.5 %
(274)
% of local labour to hired labour 17.5%
(58)
Age group and gender composition
% of Children (below 14 years) to total workforce 34.9 %
(134)
% of girls to total children 59.7 %
(80)
% of children (15-18 years) to total workforce 31.8 %
(122)
% of girls to total children (15-18 years) 62.3 %
(76)
Adults (above 18 years) 33.3 %
(128)
Average number of child labour (below 14 age)
employed per acre
Average number of child labour (15-18 years)
employed per acre
Note: figures in brackets are absolute numbers
60
(104 acres)
384 1082
17.6%
(190)
82.4%
(892)
83.4%
744
16.6%
(148)
32.7%
(354)
61.6%
(218)
33.4%
(362)
56.9%
(206)
33.8%
(366)
3.5 3.4
3.2 3.5
• Children in the age group of 7 to 14 years constitute 32.7% of the total workforce. Among
them, 61.6% were girls. On an average, 3.5 children were engaged per one acre of seed
production. Compared to 2003-04, there has not been any significant change in the
proportion of children (below 14 years) to the total workforce and per acre employment of
number of children. The proportion of child labour to the total workforce marginally
declined from 34.9% in 2003-04 to 32.7% in 2006-07. The average number of children
employed per acre remained almost the same from 3.7 persons in 2003-04 to 3.5 persons
in 2006-07.
32