Class formation across borders: migrant workers in international borderlands

Abstract

• Agricultural boom in tobacco: introduced commercially in 1994 (+699% 2000-2009) • Labour intensive, use of HH labour and migrant wage labour (Seasonal L and sharecroppers, atypical) • 130.000 small scale producers. 1:3 Households in main producing districts. • All production under outgrower-schemes with no nuclear estate (CF involves 12% pop in Mozambique). Substantial productivity gains, use of modern inputs. • Quality sensitive, complex grading. • Geographical concessions, country monopsony, price set by the company. Advances of inputs against harvest. No obligation to clear market. • Geographical and corporate concentration. • Extreme asymmetry/ no bargaining power (but one of the few viable sources of income from agriculture available in the region)