More than half of the people of India live in villages. The people of the villages earn their living in different ways, and these ways of earning are called livelihoods. The livelihoods of the rural people depend mostly on the land, the forests, the rivers and the animals.
In the villages, there are farmers, landless labourers, fishermen, weavers, potters, herders and many other workers. In this chapter, we will learn about the different kinds of rural livelihoods, the problems faced by the rural people, and how they earn their living. We will study the example of a farming family in the village of Kalpattu in Tamil Nadu and a fishing village in Kerala.
A livelihood is the way in which a person earns money to meet the needs of his or her family. It includes all the activities by which a person earns his or her living.
There are two types of rural livelihoods: - Farm-based livelihoods: Farming, growing crops, rearing animals and related activities. - Non-farm livelihoods: Crafts like pottery and weaving, fishing, shopkeeping and other work that is not directly related to farming.
The rural economy depends on both farm and non-farm activities.
Kalpattu is a village in Tamil Nadu that is surrounded by low hills and the sea coast. The chapter describes the livelihoods of the people of Kalpattu to help us understand rural livelihoods.
In Kalpattu, the main occupation of most families is farming. There are also: - Landless labourers, who work in the fields of others. - Fishermen, who go to the sea to catch fish. - Weavers, potters and carpenters, who do craft work. - Shopkeepers and traders.
The people of Kalpattu show that a village has many kinds of livelihoods, though farming is the main one.
In Kalpattu, farming is the main occupation. The climate of the village is suitable for growing a variety of crops: - Rice is the main crop of the wet season. - Lentils, cotton and millets are grown in the drier seasons. - Many families grow vegetables in their fields and gardens.
The farmers of Kalpattu are small farmers, who own small plots of land. The work on the farm – sowing, weeding, watering, harvesting – is done mostly by the family members and the landless labourers who are paid wages.
Many people in the villages do not own any land. These people are called landless labourers. They work in the fields of the big farmers and are paid wages for their work.
The landless labourers: - Do the work of sowing, weeding, watering and harvesting. - Are paid in cash or in kind (grain). - Often do not get work throughout the year, especially in the dry seasons. - Have no land of their own and depend on the farmers for their income.
The landless labourers face a lot of hardship because their work depends on the seasons and the farmers.
The chapter also describes the lives of the people of a fishing village in Kerala. Many people of this village earn their living by fishing.
The fishermen: - Go to the sea in their boats to catch fish. - Use nets to catch the fish. - Sell the fish in the market or to the middlemen. - Some families also make coir (fibre from coconuts) and sell it.
Fishing is a difficult and seasonal occupation. When the sea is rough or the fish are not found, the fishermen do not get any income. The middlemen also take a large share of the money from the sale of the fish.
The chapter tells the story of Ramalingam and Thulasi, a farming family in Kalpattu. Ramalingam owns a small plot of land, and the family grows rice, cotton and vegetables on it.
The family members work hard on the farm. Thulasi also works in the fields and looks after the animals. The family has a cow and some hens. Even with hard work, the family earns just enough for its needs, and they have to manage their money carefully throughout the year. The story shows the hard work and the difficulties of the small farmers.
Many farmers of the villages are in debt. They borrow money for seeds, fertilisers, and for the other expenses of farming. If the crops fail, they cannot repay the money, and their debt grows.
The causes of the farmers' debt are: - The high cost of seeds, fertilisers and pesticides. - The failure of the crops due to drought or floods. - The low prices of the crops in the market. - The high interest charged by the moneylenders.
The debt makes the life of the farmers very difficult, and some farmers are forced to sell their land to repay the loans.
Besides farming, the villagers do many other kinds of work: - Fishing – catching and selling fish. - Weaving – making cloth on the looms. - Pottery – making pots and other earthen goods. - Carpentry – making furniture and repairing houses. - Basket making – making baskets from bamboo and grass. - Shopkeeping – selling goods in the village shops. - Working as drivers, construction workers and masons.
These non-farm livelihoods provide income to many families who do not have enough land for farming.
The rural people face many problems: - Seasonal work: Most of the farm work is seasonal, so the labourers do not get work all year round. - Low incomes: The incomes of the farmers and labourers are very low. - Debt: Many farmers are trapped in debt. - No market access: The farmers have to sell their produce to middlemen at low prices. - Lack of facilities: The villages often lack good roads, schools, hospitals and clean water.
The government has started many schemes to help the rural people, but there is still a lot to be done. A better life for the rural people depends on better incomes, better facilities and the protection of their rights.
| Type | Examples |
|---|---|
| Farm-based | Growing crops, rearing animals |
| Non-farm | Fishing, weaving, pottery, carpentry, shopkeeping |
| Group | Work |
|---|---|
| Farmers | Grow rice, cotton, vegetables |
| Landless labourers | Work in the fields for wages |
| Fishermen | Catch and sell fish |
| Weavers, potters | Make cloth and pots |
The rural livelihoods of India are diverse and full of hard work. Farming is the main occupation of the villages, and the small farmers and landless labourers work very hard to earn a living. Besides farming, many people depend on fishing, weaving, pottery, carpentry and shopkeeping for their income.
The rural people face many problems – seasonal work, low incomes, debt and lack of facilities. The story of Kalpattu and the fishing village of Kerala show us both the variety of rural life and its hardships. The welfare of India depends to a large extent on the welfare of its villages, and improving the incomes, facilities and rights of the rural people is one of the most important tasks before the nation.