Tropentag, September 10 - 12, 2025, Bonn "Reconciling land system changes with planetary health"

Assessing labour rights: child´s involvement in cashew production in cambodia

¹CZU, Department of Economics and Development, selected
²CZU, Department of Economics and Development, Czech Republic

Abstract

Cambodia enlists cashew as one of the ten crop investments within the National Development Plan. The nebulous nature of child labour, unknown prevalence and its influencing factors as well as the low awareness of labour rights among rural cashew farmers has left an informational gap which makes it difficult for policymakers to address the shortcomings of labour in the Cambodian cashew value chain. Therefore, this study aims at determining the perspective on value chain of cashew production in Cambodia with a focus on labour rights, its awareness and effectiveness, and child labour. A total of 122 respondents were interviewed in Kampong Thom and Preah Vihear provinces since they have predominantly small-scale farmers and are part of the major cashew producing areas. Both quantitative and qualitative data were collected using interviews with key informants and questionnaire surveys with local farmers. The data analysis via Binary Logistic Regression was used to determine the factors influencing prevalence of child labour. The study revealed that awareness of labour rights and enforcement of practicing them was higher in regions closer to urban areas (Kampong Thom) compared to remote rural areas (Preah Vihear). In the cashew nut value chain child labour was found. In contrast to existing literature that suggested boys are more likely to engage in child labour, the findings of this study did not support that claim. The findings indicated a methodical lack in labour governance and awareness that will keep generating negative working conditions, informal labour practices, and more vulnerability for farm workers, including children, unless addressed by focused training and legal enforcement. It is therefore recommended that the Cambodian government establishes targeted trainings, financial assistance strategy, and education to support the rural cashew farmers.

Keywords: Awareness, education, enforcement, informal employment, working conditions

Contact Address: Petra Chaloupková, CZU, Department of Economics and Development, Prague, Czech Republic, e-mail: chaloupkovaftz.czu.cz