Livelihood Diversification of Fishers in the Vicinity of Rudrasagar lake, Tripura

Rudrasagar Lake is declared as National Lake No. 13 and also it is declared as an International Lake numbered 1572 as a Ramsar site. However, the lake at present is under threat from a variety of human induced changes to their hydrology. In this study, we have selected 140 fishers by simple random sampling method in the vicinity of the lake, who are believed to be vulnerable as the resource base on which their livelihood depends (i.e. the Rudrasagar lake) is in peril. Drawing on livelihood research of the fishers, this paper presents evidence that fisheries contribute the principle parts (more than 50%) of household's net income among 44.28 per cent of the sampled households. Around 48.57 per cent of the fishers practiced crop production. More than 60 per cent of the households participated in different non-farm income activities. Majority of the fishers’ households (48.57%) had three sources of income followed by 19.29 per cent of fishers were engaged in two sources of income activities. Average diversification index in the study area was 0.44. Majority of the diversifiers (67.15%) had medium level of diversification index as against only 18.57 per cent of diversifiers were having high level of diversification index It is found that for a vast majority of the rural population, livelihood diversification is distress driven. Variables such as age, economic motivation, fishing assets, material possession, credit orientation, information management behaviour, number of livestocks, extent to human capital, extent to financial capital, extent to physical capital, were closely and positively related to degree of livelihood diversification. The study discovered evidence of emerging transformations and features of change that are likely to become more pronounced in the area over time. These include diversification of livelihoods and occupational multiplicity as more people seek alternative sources of livelihoods through smallholder farm intensification, non-farm and business activities.