Grant: Doctoral: Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships

Seasonal labour migration represents a critical livelihood strategy for millions of rural households throughout India including the state of Tamil Nadu. However, there is limited research that investigates the effects of seasonal labour migration on migrant household health statuses in India. The research question that this project will address is how do patterns of seasonal labour migration impact the health status of different members of migrant households who are small-scale rural farmers in the Krishnagiri district of Tamil Nadu, India. More specifically, this project has three overarching objectives which are to investigate the impact of seasonal labour migration on the overall health status of individual migrants; to examine how seasonal labour migration impacts the overall health statuses of household members who do not seasonally migrate; and to describe the major health problems that constrain agricultural production and community development in this setting. This project will elicit participation from community members in its design and implementation and use several methods including interviews, focus groups, and surveys. Beyond filling several gaps in the academic literature, this project has a strong applied orientation and policy focus. A stronger understanding of the connections among seasonal labour migration, health, and agricultural production is a critical step in the development of improved health policy, food security policy, and inclusive social policy that grasps the complexity of seasonal labour migration in this context and in other areas throughout South Asia. For these reasons, this study clearly connects to the mandate of CIHR to promote research that addresses the global health concerns of marginalized populations.