ASSESSMENT OF LIVELIHOOD MODELS AIMS TO SUSTAINABLE SOCIO-ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT OF RURAL COMMUNITY-A STUDY IN WEST BENGAL

G. MULA¹*, S.C. SARKER², A. SARKAR^3
1Department of Agricultural Economics, Uttar Banga Krishi Viswavidyalaya, Pundibari, Cooch Beha 736165, West Bengal, India
²Department of Agricultural Economics, Uttar Banga Krishi Viswavidyalaya, Pundibari, Cooch Beha 736165, West Bengal, India
³Department of Agricultural Economics, Uttar Banga Krishi Viswavidyalaya, Pundibari, Cooch Beha 736165, West Bengal, India
* Corresponding Author : gobindamula@gmail.com

Received : 14-01-2016     Accepted : 09-02-2016     Published : 28-02-2016
Volume : 8     Issue : 6       Pages : 1036 - 1041
Int J Agr Sci 8.6 (2016):1036-1041

Keywords : Entrepreneurship, Investment, Income, employment, socio-economic empowerment, livelihood-model, sustainable development
Academic Editor : Sanat Kumar Dwibedi, Subhash Thakur
Conflict of Interest : None declared
Acknowledgements/Funding : None declared
Author Contribution : None declared

The study was attempted to assess the impact of viable livelihood models comprising effective mix of different technological interventions on sustainable livelihood empowerment to the different category of farmers of four selected disadvantaged districts, viz. Uttar Dinajpur, Dakshin Dinajpur, Malda and Murshidabad of West Bengal as a part of National Agricultural Innovation Project (NAIP). The participatory and personal interview methods were followed to collect the information. To assess the impact paired t-test and Impact Index analysis were done. The results showed positive change in indicators of economic empowerment like income (48.07%), employment (120.83%), investment (166.22%), savings (111.19%), assets (40.21%) and consumption (18.56%) of the beneficiaries after the successful adoption of different on and off farm interventions through NAIP. The calculated t-values for the economic indicators were significant at 1% level. It was revealed from step-wise multiple regression analysis that investment, employment generation and savings were the factors influenced the income significantly. The contribution of these variables was 74%. The gain indexes of social and economic empowerment were found to be 33.84 and 35.97 respectively. Besides, participation of women in agricultural and allied activities shifting from physical hard working to knowledge base skilled activities pushed up the empowerment level and its sustainability. Briefly, livelihood models of different income generating activities for the rural people particularly small and marginal farmers, rural underemployed youths scientifically delivered through livelihood models seemed to be a sustainable rural development strategy for the socio-economic prosperity of rural community.