Household access to rural non-farm livelihoods. Synthesis of participatory rural appraisals and questionnaire surveys in four blocks of Madhya Pradesh (NRI report no. 2378)

摘要

The research findings presented here form part of a project concerned with improved understanding and appropriate policy development for the rural non-farm economy (RNFE). The research is being undertaken in India, Eastern Europe, and Uganda by the Natural Resources Institute (NRI) in collaboration with local partners, with funding from the UK’s Department for International Developme nt (DFID) under a collaborative agreement with the World Bank. This study presents the results of a Participatory Rural Appraisal and household questionnaire survey in Madhya Pradesh, which was undertaken by the NGOs Debate and Samarthan (Centre for Development Support) in collaboration with the Natural Resources Institute. The fieldwork was undertaken from November 2001 to August 2002. The objectives of the research were to identify farm and non-farm income sources of rural households, barriers to the uptake of non-farm employment, and opportunities, which can be translated into policy recommendations. The PRA was undertaken in eight villages within the Betul and Narshimpur Districts. Betul is located in hilly terrain next to the border with Maharashtra, has a relatively high Scheduled Tribe population, and is rich in forest resources. Narshimpur, on the contrary, is renowned for its fertile agricultural land and high yields of crops such as sugarcane or soybeans.