Analyse the role played by the non-farm sector in providing sustainable livelihood in rural areas.

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Accepted Answer

Agriculture is overcrowded, so a major part of the increasing labour force must find alternate employment opportunities in non-farm sectors. Non-farm employment provides alternative avenues of sustainable livelihood and raises the level of income in rural areas.

**Animal Husbandry:** India follows a mixed crop-livestock farming system with mainly cattle, goats and fowls. Livestock production provides increased stability in income, food security, transport, fuel and nutrition, and gives alternate livelihood options to over 70 million small and marginal farmers including landless labourers, besides a significant number of women.

**Fisheries:** The water bodies consisting of sea, oceans, rivers, lakes, etc. are a source of living for the fishing community. Inland sources contribute about 65% of the total fish production and the balance 35% comes from the marine sector. Total fish production accounts for 0.9% of the total GDP. Even though women are not involved in active fishing, about 60% of the workforce in export marketing and 40% in internal marketing are women, making fishing a source of women empowerment.

**Horticulture:** On account of the bounties of nature, India has taken to growing diverse crops such as fruits, vegetables, flowers, medicinal and aromatic plants, spices and plantation crops. The economic condition of many farmers engaged in horticulture has become better off. Many areas of production in horticulture, such as flower harvesting, nursery maintenance, hybrid seed production, tissue culture and food processing, are very lucrative employment options for women in rural India.

**Information Technology:** Another important area which offers livelihood options is the Information Technology (IT) sector, which has succeeded in revolutionising many sectors of our economy. The IT sector disseminates information regarding emerging technologies and their applications, prices, weather and soil conditions, and has the potential of employment generation in rural areas. The aim is to make every village a knowledge centre, providing a sustainable option for employment and livelihood.

The dynamic sub-sectors, including agro-processing industries, food processing industries, the leather industry and tourism, possess linkages that permit healthy growth, while traditional household-based industries such as pottery, crafts and handlooms have potential but seriously lack infrastructure and other support.