Occupational Mobility and Livelihood Diversification in Response to the Behavior of Jia Bharali River, Tezpur, Assam, India

Abstract

Rivers have long supported human settlements by providing fertile soils, water for daily use and routes for movement and trade. The Jia Bharali River, known as the Kameng River in Arunachal Pradesh, is a major tributary of the Brahmaputra and flows through Tezpur town in Assam. In recent years, channel shifting, stream capture and sediment deposition have affected communities living along its banks. This study, conducted between 2022 and 2025, used a mixed-methods approach and surveyed 329 households in selected villages of the lower Jia Bharali River floodplain in Sonitpur District, Assam. The findings indicate that farming remains an important livelihood source, but riverbank erosion, recurrent flooding and waterlogging have reduced the reliability of agricultural land and income. The occupational transition matrix shows a 62.8% decline in household engagement in primary occupations, with many households shifting towards wage labour, construction work, small trade, service-sector activities and other non-farm livelihoods. In addition, 8.5% of households reported multiple livelihood strategies as a means of reducing income risk. In this unstable riverine environment, livelihood diversification appears to be an important household-level response for maintaining economic security. The findings highlight the need for sustainable livelihood planning, disaster-risk reduction and practical climate-adaptation measures to support floodplain communities.