Modern Slavery in Agrarian Settings

This chapter explores the drivers behind the perpetuation of slavery within agricultural systems, and the nature and impact of victimisation by enslavement. Modern slavery, like its historic predecessor, exploits labour from the farm fields to the processor. Whilst financial gain is at the heart of this exploitation, it is perpetuated through a combination of downward cost pressure in the supply chain and the involvement of transnational organised crime groups. Such groups fill a gap in the legitimate labour market, both in terms of supplying labour and reducing labour costs, thus allowing margins to be maintained and ultimately for consumers to benefit from a supply of lower priced foods. Despite interventions into the market by the agri-food industry to audit the labour system, these have had little impact. With a devastating impact upon the victims, often isolated geographically and linguistically, and undocumented in hostile immigration systems, the agri-business industry seeks to identify victims so they may be assisted. However, given the scale of the problem and the economics of food production, such activities are in an uphill struggle to tackle the issue. Only when consumers recognise their food is perhaps produced with the toil of exploited people will a financial mechanism aid law enforcement in ridding the food chain of this exploitation

Agrarian society · Agriculture · Archaeology · Sociology · Colonialism, slavery, and trade · Global Maritime and Colonial Histories · History

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