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The paper reviews a range of global aquaculture health and safety literature to inform and contribute to the development of a socio-economic profile of Indian shrimp farm workers including the occupational hazards and injuries they face. In addition, 60 shrimp farm workers were interviewed from each of the states of Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat and Tamil Nadu. The study revealed that all shrimp farm workers were male, 58% were migrants, and ages ranged from 23 to 53 years with work experience of 5 to 24 years. Few workers (14%) had no formal schooling and many had secondary-level education. Reported physical hazards were high (93%) followed by biological (82%), chemical (77%), ergonomic (71%) and psycho-social (71%) hazards. The majority of physical injuries reported related to slips, falls and cuts (51%), electric shocks (44%), sunburn (41%), dehydration/ headaches (40%) and fractures (27%). Approximately 30%-39% had some chemical injury with skin infections/breathing problems. Indian shrimp farm workers face similar occupational hazards and injuries to shrimp farm workers in other countries. The occupational health and safety of shrimp farm workers should be integrated into the concept of 'One Health' to ensure aquaculture sustainability and safe, meaningful and good quality employment to workers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Snakebite envenoming is a neglected tropical disease (NTD) that is responsible for enormous suffering, disability and premature death. This study is an autopsy based epidemiological study of deaths due to snake bite conducted in Kurnool medical college attached Government General Hospital, Kurnool, Andhra Pradesh. The results of the study indicated that snake bites are more common among middle-aged, uneducated, male agricultural laborers working in fields during monsoon season. In Majority of the them bitten by snake over lower extremities. The majority of patients could not reach the hospital in time because their habitats are rural areas and not well connected to the nearby health centers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper discusses protection of children from hazards in agricultural work. International and national policies aim to protect children by eliminating all child labour. Previous literature on hazardous child labour tends to focus on single industries or crops, overlooking the variety of activities that children undertake in subsistence farming. We analyse survey and qualitative data from children, and present rates of work, injuries experienced, how children deal with risks, and perceived benefits of work. The most effective form of prevention may be to build on existing knowledge and experience, working with communities to develop strategies to make work safer. Ripostes des enfants face aux risques du travail agricole en Andhra Pradesh, en Inde Cet article traite de la protection des enfants face aux aléas du travail agricole. Les politiques internationales et nationales visent à protéger les enfants en éliminant tout le travail des enfants. Les documents publiés précédemment sur le travail dangereux des enfants tendent à se concentrer sur les industries ou les cultures, sans prêter attention à la variété d'activités que les enfants entreprennent dans l'agriculture de subsistance. Nous analysons des données qualitatives et issues d'enquêtes fournies par des enfants, ainsi que les taux actuels de travail, les blessures subies, la manière dont les enfants gèrent les risques et les avantages perçus du travail. La forme la plus efficace de prévention pourrait consister à renforcer les connaissances et les expériences existantes, en travaillant avec les communautés pour élaborer des stratégies afin d'améliorer la sécurité au travail. As respostas das crianças ao risco no trabalho agrícola em Andhra Pradesh, Índia Este artigo discute a questão da proteção de crianças dos perigos no trabalho agrícola. Políticas internacionais e nacionais visam proteger as crianças eliminando todo trabalho infantil. A literatura anterior sobre trabalho infantil perigoso tende a focalizar indústrias ou lavouras específicas, desconsiderando a variedade de atividades que as crianças realizam na produção agrícola de subsistência. Analisamos pesquisas e dados qualitativos de crianças e apresentamos informações sobre taxas de trabalho, ferimentos ocorridos, sobre como as crianças lidam com os riscos e os benefícios percebidos do trabalho. A forma mais efetiva de prevenção pode ser a de basear-se em conhecimento e experiência acumulados, trabalhando com comunidades para desenvolver estratégias para tornar o trabalho mais seguro. Las reacciones de la niñez ante el riesgo del trabajo agrícola en Andhra Pradesh, India Este ensayo analiza la protección de la niñez ante los peligros del trabajo agrícola. Las políticas a nivel nacional e internacional tienen como objetivo proteger a la niñez mediante la eliminación del trabajo infantil. Anteriormente, los estudios sobre el trabajo infantil peligroso se enfocaban en las industrias o los cultivos específicos, sin tomar en cuenta las múltiples actividades que los niños y niñas realizan en la agricultura de subsistencia. El ensayo analiza la información cualitativa y las encuestas realizadas a niños y niñas, examinando las actuales tasas de empleo, las lesiones más comunes, cómo la niñez reacciona ante el riesgo y los beneficios que ésta atribuye al trabajo. Para prevenir de una forma más eficaz, el método a utilizar tendría que construirse a partir de la experiencia y los conocimientos ya existentes, mediante el trabajo con las comunidades para crear estrategias que aseguren resultados. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents results on the participation of rural workers in the National Rural Employment Guarantee Programme based on a pilot survey of three villages in the Chittoor district, Andhra Pradesh (AP), India. These villages are Kaligiri, Obulayyapale and Reddivaripalle, and they were surveyed in December 2007. In contrast to an earlier study of ours on Rajasthan, Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs) participated in higher numbers in AP, but in both states these groups participated for slightly lower spells than the residual group of 'Others'. We find that AP performed better than Rajasthan in terms of targeting poorer caste and income groups such as SCs, STs and landless households. The number of days worked on average was much higher than suggested by other assessments. Our econometric analysis further reinforces the view that disadvantaged groups are not only more likely to participate but also for longer spells. Thus the performance of the National Rural Employment Guarantee Programme has been far from dismal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the trends, patterns, and factors of labour absorption in the crop sector of undivided Andhra Pradesh, where most people still depend on agriculture for employment. During the past three decades, the sector has undergone a remarkable change, and crop employment/labour absorption has been significantly affected. Labour absorption per hectare has declined in all major crops, despite a significant rise in yield levels among major crops and a small rise in the irrigated area of a few crops. Crop employment has fallen, primarily because labour intensity in major crops has declined, notwithstanding the small rise in gross cropped area and change in the cropping pattern towards labour-intensive crops. Labour absorption in the crop sector is positively influenced by annual rainfall and the area ratio of labour-intensive crops. This kind of shrinking labour absorption in the crop sector causes under-employment and inability of the present form of the crop sector to provide additional employment in the state's agriculture. This situation calls for crop diversification towards labour-intensive crops and speedy development of the non-crop sector within agriculture-such as post-production processing, storage, value addition, and marketing-to absorb labour from the agricultural sector in the state. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents an approach to anticipating future livelihood portfolios through Sherry Ortner's model of ‘serious games’. The value of the model is to draw attention to the (always shifting) purposes and intentions that direct people's lives, within a social, cultural and material context that differentially constrains and enables. Power is central to the approach, and to the understanding of processes of social reproduction and transformation. I use the model of serious games to examine the proposition that agricultural labour will become less important in the diverse livelihood portfolios of the rural poor in Telangana region, Andhra Pradesh, India. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Women's share of agricultural wage employment is rising across the Indian sub-continent. Studies examining this process of feminisation tend to be divided along the lines of an ideological debate following either the 'poverty-push' or the 'demand-pull' argument. This debate, however, has largely ignored the institution of patriarchy. In this study we revisit the debate with a focus on gender relations. The study is based on data collected from 291 households in the state of Andhra Pradesh. We find that, despite increased labour market participation, women's household status, her wages and working conditions remain acutely depressed. Women labourers with access to productive assets, however, are effectively expanding their agency within both the household and the labour market. Their experiences, we argue, have implications for transformative policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]