Constraints and Prospects to Livelihood Diversification in Kohima and Phek Districts of Nagaland, India: Analysis using Response Priority Index

Abstract

Livelihood diversification remains an important strategy that is adopted by individuals/households all over the world, which affirms that a household can escape poverty and enhance its well-being. In rural areas, livelihood is highly erratic and risk-veiled due to the differences in socio-economic, demographic, and geographical conditions, which generate distinct constraints to livelihood diversification. Therefore, it is crucial to understand the fundamental constraints of livelihood diversification to identify the challenges of rural development and interceding to elevate the people's livelihood. This paper explores some of the main constraints and the prospect for diversification by recording their priority for each constraint. The study was conducted in Nagaland, constituting 663 households randomly selected as the sampled households from four villages of Kohima district and four villages of Phek district. The study revealed that the significant constraints in the study area were lack of proper guidance and education, lack of family labor, health conditions, old age, lack of proper marketing facilities, credit and time constraints, and non-availability of land. Thus, concerned stakeholders should pay close attention to these issues and play a facilitator’s role in promoting investment and better outreach training programs to ensure a secure and sustainable livelihood.