Dr. Jayasinghe Awarded College of Social Science Grant to Study Sri Lankan Cinnamon Industry

Thanks to research funds awarded by the College of Social Science's Small Grants Program, Dr. Mevan Jayasinghe spent this past summer studying whether the adoption of technology and mechanization helps retain skilled workers and attract new workers in the hand-crafted artisan cinnamon industry in Sri Lanka.

Approximately 85% of the global supply of cinnamon, a crop that is native to Sri Lanka, currently rests on the contributions of a small workforce with generationally inherited indigenous artisanal skills that are becoming increasingly scarce due to the retirement of experienced workers and the limited entry of new workers into the industry.

Dr. Jayasinghe's research will help improve our understanding on new labor management practices and industry policies for mitigating the risks to global food security from such shortages in artisanal skilled labor in cinnamon, tea, and other indigenous agriculture supply chains.