The Insecurity of Rural People
10 million rural people live in abject poverty – their meagre existence threatened by an overdependence on unproductive agriculture; their belief to climate change; and the drastically degraded ecosystems in which they live, and rely upon, for life and livelihood.
Extent of the problem
10 million rural people live in abject poverty – their delicate existence threatened by an overdependence on unproductive agriculture; their helplessness to climate change; and the seriously abandoned ecosystems in which they live for life.
0
%
of farmers rely on rain
0
%
rain-fed farming area
0
%
rural population poor
0
%
< than 2 hectares land
The root cause of Rural Poverty
Despite being a complex issue, rural poverty can actually be unpacked into four root causes which fuel its growth:
Limited Ecosystems in Villages
The ecosystem goods and services that communities depend upon are severely limited, threatening the ability for survival there.
Due to hand-to-mouth living they destroy their immediate environment for their present survival and further falling down into poverty.
Climate Change
Climate change is real and it is upon us. It will not only increase cost of production and the population living in poverty, but due to drought, lack of alternative arrangement like irrigation, water recharging it will also exacerbate the conditions of those currently impoverished.
Low Agriculture Productivity
High Agricultural productivity has degraded the fertility of land. Unsustainable agricultural practices , irratic rainfall, labour intensive, small land holding, drought has affected the agricultural productivity.
Rainfed parts earn only 20-30% of their income from farm-related activities while farmers in irrigated areas earn as much as 60% of their income from agriculture. Poverty can decline by Increasing the productivity of agriculture.
Overdependence on Agriculture as a Source of Income
Agriculture is the primary source of livelihood for 58% of population. Although the number of people employed in the non-farm sector has steadily risen over the past decade.
The diversification from agriculture into other agro-based and non-farm livelihoods is an important source of income, economic growth and transformation.
