Livelihood constraints, opportunities and economic empowerment of the rural households in the dry land areas of West Bengal: A cross-sectional study

Abstract

The current study explores livelihood patterns constraints, opportunities and the scope for economic empowerment of rural households in the dryland areas of West Bengal. Our work focuses on analyzing the prevalent causes of low income and backwardness among the rural household participants. The present research identifies potential avenues for sustainable resource creation to enhance the economic resilience of the studied people. For quantitative analysis, a Kruskal-Wallis test, a robust generalized linear model, and pairwise Wilcoxon tests are used. The analysis section revealed the variables responsible for vulnerability. Further, this work sheds light on the role of SDG Goal 8 in employment generation communities. The findings section demonstrates that a poor human resource base, limited access to lucrative opportunities, and a weak man-land ratio significantly contributed to the prevalence of poverty by slowing economic growth. Moreover, marginalized people need assistance from government and non-governmental sources to secure their livelihoods.