Impact of agribusiness on food security and livelihood generation: A case study in Assam, India

Abstract

Assam is predominantly a rural phenomenon, stemming principally from underperformance of the agriculture sector and lack of alternative employment avenues mainly in the rural areas. Decadal growth rate of population of Assam reflected a per square increase trend of population in the state. With increase population people below poverty line started increasing and average size of holding started to decrease. Area, Production and average yield of food grains in Assam found stagnant for a long period as a result per day per capita availability of most of the food grains found decreasing for the state. The study revealed that Assam has deficit in fish and livestock products as per nutritional demand. But has potentiality in horticultural crops. So to maintain the food security and livelihood to the people of Assam transition of agribusiness is very much required which will include cultivation of high yielding crop varieties, mechanization of agriculture, development of contact farming, establishment of food processing industry and development of cooperative fish and livestock farming in the state.