Jeff Neilson maintains primary research interests in rural development and environmental issues across various Asian countries. He completed his PhD with a study of the Indonesian coffee industry, has authored twelve refereed publications, and has worked as a consultant to various international development agencies. Dr Neilson is currently employed as a post-doctoral research fellow in geography at the University of Sydney, Australia. Bill Pritchard is an Economic Geographer whose research has focused on global change in agriculture, food and rural places. He has authored two books, edited four others, and written more than forty refereed publications. He is an active member and former convener of the Australia & New Zealand Agri-Food Research Network, a member of the Australian Research Council Research Network on Spatially Integrated Social Sciences, and Steering Committee Member of the International Geographical Union Commission on the Dynamics of Economic Spaces.

List of Figures vi

List of Tables viii

Series Editors' Preface x

Acknowledgements xi

List of Abbreviations xiii

1 Introduction 1

2 Re-inserting Place and Institutions within Global Value Chain Analysis 27

3 How to Make a (South Indian) Cup of Tea or Coffee 66

4 The Institutional Environment of the South Indian Tea and Coffee Industries 107

5 Struggles over Labour and Livelihoods 130

6 Struggles over Environmental Governance in the Coffee Forests of Kodagu 162

7 Smallholder Engagement in Global Value Chains: Initiatives in the Nilgiris 186

8 Making a Living in the Global Economy: Institutional Environments and Value Chain Upgrading 210

9 Conclusion: What We Brewed 230

Appendix A: The Role of Managing Agents 240

Appendix B: The Operation and Intended

Reform of South India's Tea Auctions 241

Appendix C: Restructuring of Tata Tea's Munnar Operations 246

Notes 248

Bibliography 263

Index 291

"Extremely well written, clearly argued and nicely illustrated,
this book offers a wonderfully detailed case study of tea and
coffee cultivation in South India - in all its multi-scalar
institutional and regulatory contexts - and yet also speaks
powerfully to a variety of wider theoretical issues concerning
global value chains, global private regulation, and ethical and
sustainable production schemes."

-Neil Coe, University of Manchester

"This book gets to the roots of new trading arrangements in the
coffee and tea sectors which affect the lives of struggling growers
in South India. Adoption of a meaningful global value chain
approach that links production, trade and consumption is the unique
feature of this book. Arrays of issues including history,
geography, politics and culture at local, regional and national
levels have been covered. It is certainly a valuable, scholarly and
policy contribution."

-P. G. Chengappa, Vice Chancellor, University
of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore, India