The political ecology of crop commercialization and dietary change in the Kolli Hills, India

This thesis presents an analysis of the intersections between access to food, agricultural decision-making and experiences with environmental change in three Malaiyali villages in the Kolli Hills, Tamil Nadu, India. Specifically, I examine why small farmers living in these villages might choose to shift from subsistence agriculture, to the cultivation of the cash crop tapioca (cassava). This entails examining agricultural decision-making and the multiple facets of tapioca.; Tapioca cultivation can be connected to local dietary transitions. In particular, villagers now rarely cultivate minor millets, which were once the staple foods in the area. Instead, there is an increasing reliance on rice consumption, particularly rice accessed through markets and ration shops. This contributes to changes in dietary diversity. Issues of geography and access to market areas further complicate people's food access abilities.; However, I argue that considering tapioca cultivation solely in terms of food changes overlooks the ways that farmers think about their environment and their crops. It also does not account for farmer agency. Thus, agricultural changes must also be considered from the perspective of local voices, priorities and experiences. In the context of changes in the physical environment, cultivating tapioca is a conscious decision made by small farmers based on their perceptions of environmental insecurity. Market integration is understood by farmers as key to coping with external, uncontrollable changes and to fulfilling household and community aspirations. Tapioca income is cited by villagers as helping to fulfill community and household economic options. Community development and increasing local political agency are also tied to the income that households are able to generate through the cultivation of tapioca.