An overview of exiting contours for promoting different strategies for livelihood security in Sikkim Himalaya

Abstract

Agriculture is the mainstay of the majority of the rural population of Sikkim. Due to adverse geographical location and difficult terrain, the prospect of expansion of area under cultivation is limited. Only 11% of land is under agriculture on which more than 60% of the total population depends on it for their livelihood. The basic livelihood problems in Sikkim is manifested in the high incidence of poverty in the state. It is particularly intriguing that poverty in the state co-exists with relatively rapid economic growth and a high level of per capita income. This paper aims to investigate the existing contours for promoting different strategies for livelihood security and factors which affect such livelihood strategies choices. A systematic, multistage stratified random sampling design was adopted to conduct a survey, and responses of 300 farming households and were documented in terms of a pre-tested structured questionnaire designed for the purpose. The data so obtained is categorized into agriculture, non-agriculture, and both. The logistic regression and multinomial logistic regression model are used to fulfill this objective. The study shows that livelihood strategy choices depend upon landholding, age, education, and distance from the market/headquarters, which may enlighten the policymakers and stakeholders in fine-tuning their designs and applications.