Coffee is stimulant for millions of people. Little do people realise that thousands of tribal lives are dependent on this cash crop. Little sway in the international markets has potential to make up or destroy their lives. The Malayalee tribes of Yercaud region in Tamil Nadu India were native cultivators mainly growing food crops such as millets and rice. Unfortunately their lands were invaded during the British regime and the food crops pattern were totally changed to cash crops of coffee.

Primarily their lands were encroached upon and their native practices which primarily worked on food security were totally destroyed. They were converted from landed gentry to menial labour working in the coffee estates. Yercaud also doubles up as tourist destination which is a place for relaxation, rejuvenation for the rich. But for the impoverished poor neither the tourism helps in big way nor are they able to have normal life due to loss of land, livelihood and steeped in ill health. Goitre is one of the widely prevalent diseases in the region, for which neither cure is available from the government hospitals nor any studies undertaken for the reasons of the same.