ABSTRACT
Globally, tea continues its steady increase in production doubling in the past 20years in 2014. Tea has significant impacts in some top producing countries in the cultural, economic, social and political aspects and it is not only a drink, but an ancient tradition, unique to each culture. Tea cultivation provides employment. Economically, Tole Tea workers earn low wages and are often unable to meet their basic needs such as food, shelter, and clothing. A significant number of them live in tiny makeshift homes with poor sanitation and hygiene. This creates a negative impact on their health and wellbeing. Socially, Tole Tea workers face discrimination and exploitation due to their low social status and lack of access to health care and social services. They often face difficulty in accessing education for their children which further deepens their poverty. The relative material poverty of Tole Tea workers is a significant issue that needs to be addressed through targeted policy invention that focuses on improving their economic and social conditions. This study thus has as aim to examine material poverty among tole tea workers in the South West Region of Cameroon. To realize this work, a sample population of 60 persons were sampled in a stratified random manner. In realizing data for this work, descriptive statistics and results were being presented in tables. Findings reveal that majority (30%) of the respondent were of the opinion that, they usually suffered from malaria, followed by back pain, typhoid, diarrhea and Dysentery and (50%) of the respondent were of the opinion that their salary is been deduct at time due to management error. There for it is recommended that the lack of significant improvements in residential and income standards of a multitude of the Tole laborers contradicts the view of the corporation as a development agent. Therefore, the government should ensure renovation programs on most buildings in the camps. This will go a long way to improve on the living standard of the workers.

CHAPTER ONE GENERAL INTRODUCTION
1.0 Introduction
This chapter focuses on the general introduction of the study. It therefore comprises of the background of the study, research problem, questions, objectives, the hypotheses, literature review based on the various objectives, theoretical framework, conceptual framework, the methodology, the significance of study and the chapter layout.
1.1 Background of Study
In the world, Tea is the most widely consumed beverage ranked second after water as the most consumed drink worldwide. (Zhen 2002, Ho et al. 2009) besides being a traditional beverage, tea has a more significant role as a health drink. It is produced in 50 countries, with major producers being China, India, Kenya, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, turkey, Indonesia and Iran (FAO 2014). World production now stands at 5.56 million tonnes, with plantation coverage of 3.80 million hectares (FAO 2014). Globally, tea continues its steady increase in production doubling in the past 20years in 2014. Tea has significant impacts in some top producing countries in the cultural, economic, social and political aspects and it is not only a drink, but an ancient tradition, unique to each culture. This is because tea plays a significant impact in rural development, poverty reduction and food security in exporting and developing countries. It is a principal source of livelihood for millions of smallholder producers. Tea cultivation provides employment. While three quarters of tea produced is consumed domestically, it is a widely traded and exported commodity over the past decades and the global tea industry has seen rapid growth with a rising number of consumers globally. (FAO 2014).

In India, tea is the most common taste, introduced by the British, tea has become Indian to the core over the years. This hot beverage is a regular entertainer, a source of living, a refreshment drink, an excuse for discussion, a part of gossip culture and a household tradition in India. Recently, tea has become a witness to the ongoing political campaigns in connection with the upcoming Lok Sabha elections all over India. Tea is a means of sustenance for many across the country. This means that there is not a single railway platform without tea stalls and tea vendors in India, the passengers on platform are in the habit of taking tea while waiting for trains (indianeagle.com).
In Iran, almost every neighbourhood has its own tea house which serves as a gathering place where local people discuss their neighbourhood, newcomers, business, society, and politics of their friends. Tea houses in Iran served local bazaars, where merchants could discuss, negotiations with customers and other merchants over tea. Tea also had an impact to the story of the nation’s independence. At the celebrated Boston Tea party of 1773, three shiploads of tea were dumped into the harbour in protest over high taxes on the tea being reported from Britain to the American colonies.
At the beginning of the 18th century, British merchants brought green tea from China to Northwest Africa for the first time. A cornerstone for a new and unique tea culture was laid. This emerging culture would be benefitting from the steady growth of the trade with tea and quickly be found throughout Africa. Throughout the 20th century numerous countries began to grow tea, and today, the African continent is an important player in the world tea market, Kenya is now the third largest tea producer in the world and the in Africa.

In Kenya, more than 4 million people earn their living from the cultivation and processing of tea and have made a difference to farmer’s income. Kenya is also one of the top tea exporting nations, with an export value of a whopping USD 1.2 billion in 2019. It is leading the way in the trade of sustainable tea, with nearly all of its tea production complying with VSSs like Rainforest Alliance and Fair-trade. This tea sector has an impact of nearly 10% of the population.
The production of tea estate in Cameroon is among the most cherished in and out of the country. The company which specializes in the production and commercialisation of black tea produce many grades of tea. The training manager of the CTE Robert M. Achiril, disclosed they are to export part of the 4500 tones yearly production since the company is in the process of getting an International Organization for Standardization (ISO) certificate. The tea is highly demanded in Nigeria and other parts of Europe and America. The tree tea plantation that makes up the company are NDU Tea in the North West Region which is the largest (1568 hectares) and produce 1600 tonnes yearly, Tole tea plantation in the South West Region of Cameroon occupying 454 hectares and produce 1500 tonnes yearly. And Djuttisa Tea plantation in the West Region which covers a surface are of 446 hectares and produces 1400 tonnes yearly. All three plantations have factories where the tea is processed, packaged, stored and distributed thereafter.
Though CTE does not export, the tea however is consumed across the borders. But who takes the tea to other countries. 80percent of the 4800 tones yearly production is purchased by big tea merchants based in Garoua, Kousseri, and Maroua who take the tea across borders to Chad, Niger, South Libya and Sudan where most of the tea is consumed by the Arab population (Wikipedia). The rest 20 percent of CTE products is bought in big metropolis including Baffoussam, Bamenda, Douala, Limbe and Yaounde, while the grand north Adamawa, Far North prefer lode teen in 20 to 40 kg bags the Grand South that is the Centre, East, Littoral, North West, South West and North Region go for the blue and red labelled packets of 25, 50 100 grams. The tea is also taken abroad by tourists and Cameroonians living abroad. When this groups of people visit the country, they mostly buy but made in Cameroon tea for similar quantities mainly for consumption. The widely consumed beverage dose not only occupies frontline possession during most conference for-rums and important meetings but also catch the attention and authorities during trade fares.
The creation of the Tole tea plantation in the year 1958 brought about many changes in the economic situation and the living standard of the local population of Tole and the economic growth of the Tole municipality and Buea in general. Several factors accounted for the creation of the tea estate in Tole such as; land availability, favourable climate, and fertile soils.
However, according to the World’s Bank Report from 2002 titled: “Cameroon; Survey of Constraints to private sector Development.”-Tea like other agricultural industries in Cameroon has gone the process of privatisation and liberalisation since the mid 19090’s. it is possible that the privatisation of Tole Tea plantation of this broader trend. To find more specific information on the privatisation process of Tole Tea plantation, it may be necessary to reach out the local authorities or historical records.
1.2 Problem Statement

Tole tea is a rich company that, in normal circumstances, would have had employee working and living in good condition.
Unfortunately, the employee of this rich company is working under difficult condition, with, inadequate even risky means of transport, very bowl or unadopted tools to work, with their living standard is too low because their revenue are low, the educational level is low and their health condition are bad, their feeding very bowl. They live in degraded houses.
This are some of the main problems that the workers of tole tea plantation in Buea experience and this study is to explain the material poverty of Tole tea workers.
1.3 Research Questions

1.3.1 Main Research Question

How can we understand and explain the material poverty of Tole Tea workers?
1.3.2 Specific Research Questions

1. What is the state of plantation or tea activity in Tole?
2. How does plantation workers live in material poverty?
1.4 Research Objectives This study will achieve the following objectives
1.4.1 Main Research Objective To examine the material poverty among tole tea workers in the South West Region of Cameroon.
1.4.2 Specific Research Objectives i. To present the state of material poverty among tole tea workers in te South West Region of Cameroon? ii. To investigate the implication of material poverty among tole tea workers in the South West Region of Cameroon? 1.5 Hypothesis This study is guided by the following research and alternative hypothesis;

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1.5.1 Null hypothesis There exists no material poverty among tole tea workers in the South West Region of Cameroon.
1.5.2 Alternative hypothesis There is material poverty among tole tea workers in the South West Region of Cameroon.
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