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Amit Vatsyayan
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Amit Vatsyayan
Amit is an Oxfam project officer working in southern India. He designs and manages the market access and livelihoods programme. He helps workers in the cotton textile supply chain - cotton farmers, weavers and garment workers. |
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Amit's visit to York
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Photo: Oxfam supporters greet Amit upon his arrival at the Friends Meeting House.
Oxfam arranged for Amit to visit York in April 2008. He met Oxfam shop volunteers during the day and then gave a talk to Oxfam Campaigners and members of the Fair Trade Forum in the evening. Amit’s talk provided a fascinating insight into life for workers in Southern India.
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Points from Amit's talk
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Problems in cotton farming
The high cost of pesticides and seeds when coupled with crop failures has led to poverty amongst cotton farmers. Many are in debt and struggle to pay high interest loans. 100,000 Indian farmers have committed suicide. Suicide rates remain high.
fair trade in cotton farming
Amit has worked with cotton farmers from the OAPI fair trade organisation. This is a collective of cotton farmers who group together for collective market access and bargaining power. They also promote organic farming which is better for the environment, healthier for the farmer and also gains access to new markets. In the past indiscriminate use of pesticides has had disastrous consequences on soil quality and has caused death among farmers due to poisoning.
Role of women
70 % of the work in the production of cotton is carried out by women. Oxfam in Southern India works on programmes to promote gender equity and women’s empowerment, to recognise the contribution of women in decision making and leading the change.
Problems in weaving and garment production
Unfortunately there isn’t a large fair trade presence as yet in the weaving and garment production processes.
They are dependent on middlemen and receive a low wage for their labours, often long hours are worked in poor conditions. As with the farmers many workers are heavily indebted.
Conditions in garment factories
Working and living conditions are often poor.
Organisation of the workers is often discouraged, sometimes to the point of violence.
In some of the worst cases 800 workers can be crammed into one room with limited access to toilet facilities.
Some solutions
Oxfam, with its partner organisations, is working on some solutions to these problems; helping the workers to organise, facilitating the formation of women’s groups and trade unions. They are also encouraging lobbying at a state and national level for legislation for improved working conditions. For weavers they are encouraging product design development and collective marketing.
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Amit's message to Oxfam supporters
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I am passionate about the work I do. I feel I can share my grassroots experiences and can help them (supporters, donors, volunteers, fundraisers, campaigners, trading and others who contribute to Oxfam and help me do my job well) make a connection between their work and the impact it makes in distant places. In my generation I keep on coming across men and women who take on fearsome odds and battle it out, these are few amongst many who have left a lasting impression and have helped me become who I am. I am not just a sentimental social worker, I know that poor people have wisdom, intellect and dignity; they need fair access to opportunity and support for not falling back in the poverty trap. I believe that every society/nation is obligated to provide that basic equitable platform, from there it's up to the individuals to fulfil their potential.
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What can we do
Some suggestions from the Forum as to what can we do
Support organisations such as Oxfam who work alongside workers who are paid a low wage with few rights.
See Oxfam’s website www.oxfam.org.uk/changeminds
Buy products made from fairtrade cotton.
Encourage the garment retailers we buy from to insist on better working conditions for the people who make their clothes.
Check out the range of fairtrade and ethical clothing from shops such as Fairer World and One.
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