Wayanad district of Kerala, India, is considered highly
vulnerable due to its heavy dependence on agriculture, plantation crops, and
Non-Timber Forest Products (NTFPs). The combined impacts of erratic rainfall,
declining forest cover, and soil degradation intensify the challenges of
achieving sustainable agriculture in the region. This study quantitatively
assessed the economic vulnerability of tribal households in the Wayanad
District of Kerala with a specific focus on their dependence on Non-timber Forest
Products (Medicinal plants) as a primary livelihood source. A survey of 90
households was conducted and the Economic Vulnerability Index (EVI) was
constructed based on three parameters: exposure, sensitivity and adaptive
capacity. Determinants of economic vulnerability were analysed using a logit
regression. The results reveal that both male-headed and female-headed
households are highly dependent on income derived from Non-Timber Forest
Products (NTFPs), particularly medicinal plants, which contribute approximately
75% and 70% of their total household income, respectively. Female-headed
households (FHHs) were found to be more vulnerable across all key components of
vulnerability assessment, including exposure, sensitivity, and adaptive
capacity. Female heads bear the burden of household expenditure with fewer
resources, reduced overall income, and lower capacity to adjust, especially to
climate change and environmental degradation. Economic vulnerability was found
to be significantly influenced by a number of factors, including gender, the
presence of chronic illness in the household, asset ownership, and monthly per
capita income. The proportion of households that were not warned of an upcoming
natural disaster was the most influential indicator for exposure, while the
average livelihood diversification index influenced the sensitivity of
medicinal plant collectors. MHHs benefited from broader social capital,
stronger institutional linkages, and better access to productive resources,
resulting in lower vulnerability scores. In contrast, FHHs experienced
structural disadvantages, including weaker social networks and income
volatility, highlighting pronounced gender disparities. By addressing
differential vulnerabilities between MHHs and FHHs, this study contributes to
the empirical understanding of socio-economic dynamics in forest-dependent
tribal communities. These findings highlight the need for gender-sensitive
policies to strengthen adaptive capacity among tribal communities. Policy
recommendations include strengthening institutional support, improving access
to health care and financial assets, promoting livelihood diversification, and
implementing gender sensitive development strategies.
Author(s) Details
Cenmichon Khodang
Department of Agricultural Economics, Kerala Agricultural University,
Thrissur- 680656, Kerala, India.
Chitra Parayil
Department of Agricultural Economics, Kerala Agricultural University,
Thrissur- 680656, Kerala, India.
Abhishek S
Department of Agricultural Economics, Kerala Agricultural University,
Thrissur- 680656, Kerala, India.
Samananda Keisham
Department of Environmental Science, Manipur University, Canchipur, Imphal,
Manipur, 795003, India.
Arnab Roy
Division of F&ASM, ICAR-Indian Agricultural Statistics Research
Institute, New Delhi, India.
Please see the book here :- https://doi.org/10.9734/bpi/nabme/v10/6291
No comments:
Post a Comment