PREFACE
It happened in the summer of 1992, when I was the CEO of the Plantation Corporation of Kerala Ltd, the largest single holder of rubber, cinnamon and cashew plantation in India. A systematic replanting scheme was started in the previous year to replace the old varieties with new high-yielding varieties, and oil palms were introduced in the estates. Th ere were more than 7000 permanent workers and their families staying in the labor quarters within the plantations. A scheme was drawn up to auction out tranches of land for intercropping with tapioca, banana, pineapple and vegetables in the inter-spaces of the newly planted areas. The aim was to bring supplementary income to the workers and the local community. Aſt er six months of implementing ...