Pattern of occupational shift among Malabar migrants: a case study of Kallar grama panchayath in Kerala

The impact of the migration on the economy of Kerala in general and of Malabar in particular needs special mention. Large scale production of commercial crops like rubber, ginger, pepper, arecanut and coconut, advanced methods of cultivation and the introduction of new agricultural crops are some of the aspects to be highlighted. Migration to Malabar turned out to be a mass movement, as migration of half a million people took place without any design, organisation or leadership. Famine was a driving force behind large scale migration. Land prices were very low as compared with Travancore. The increasing tendency of cultivation of commercial crops helped the migration. It is a form of agriculture to agriculture migration, anticipating a long run improvement and can be perceived as a human capital decision. This often leads to change of traditional occupation to other and substantial socio economic development. The immigrant people change their occupation from agriculture or agricultural labour to industrial labour or some other jobs. The present study focuses the changes that take place in the occupational pattern of the Malabar migrants in Kallar Grama Panchayath in Kasaragod district of Kerala