Demographic and Socio-Economic Status of the Farmers of North Eastern Part of Country: A Case Study

Abstract

A socio-economic study of farmers from Siaha district was conducted with the objectives to know the socio-economic status of Siaha district farmers, to study the availability of resources, to locate the specific socio-economic weaknesses in their production organization, and to find the constraints that inhibit the popularisation and adoption of modern technologies.  Siaha district is comprised of numerous hills and valleys and is rich in vegetation and forests. Jhum cultivation is still widely practiced as the traditional farming system. The cropping pattern of the Siaha district is characterized by the predominance of rice as the lead crop. Agricultural crops account for more than 65 percent of the gross cropped area which indicates the prevalence of subsistence agriculture and lack of crop diversification. It was observed that these farmers are socio-economically backward. Agriculture of the primary source of livelihood for the overwhelming majority of the farmer’s population. It is mandatory to identify and quantify the socio-economic factors which are key factors that are inhibiting their growth and development.