Cover Story: Adivasi Livelihoods

The livelihoods of the Adivasis of India are in a crisis. While many traditional livelihoods are dying out others are sailing through rough seas. Increased population pressure continues to place enormous stress on forest and other natural resources and the adivasis are left to compete with the mainstream for which they are ill-equipped. Being a minority in many States of India, their voice is seldom heard. The Adivasis occupy the bottom rungs of the development ladder and about 50 per cent of them are poor. Studies indicate that some of them can be placed on par with the poorest in sub-Saharan African countries.