Agricultural and Livelihood Development of Tribal Communities in Melghat: Challenges and Recommendations

Abstract

The present study explores the constraints faced by tribal farmers in the Melghat region of Amravati district, Maharashtra. An exploratory research design was adopted to systematically investigate the challenges impeding agricultural and livelihood development among tribal communities. The study was conducted in Dharni taluka, selected purposively for its high concentration of tribal populations. A multi-stage sampling technique was employed, involving the random selection of 12 villages and 120 tribal farmers actively engaged in farming and allied activities. The study identified four major constraints: lack of market intelligence and regulated markets (91.66%), absence of agro-based and rural industries (87.50%), inadequate education systems (81.66%), and limited awareness of developmental schemes (63.33%). Based on these findings, the study proposed actionable suggestions to address these challenges. The top-ranked recommendation was the development of regulated markets to reduce the interference of middlemen (93.33%), followed by enhancing tribal infrastructure, particularly in education and subsidiary occupations (86.66%), establishing employment-focused agro-industries (77.50%), and conducting awareness campaigns about government schemes (65.00%). This research underscores the critical need for targeted interventions to enhance the socio-economic conditions of tribal farmers, emphasizing the role of government support and community-based strategies in fostering sustainable agricultural and livelihood development.