Rural Livelihoods

Q33. Apart from farming how else does Ramalingam earn?

Ans. Ramalingam owns a rice mill and a shop selling seeds, pesticides etc. He buy paddy from within the village and from surrounding villages. The rice that is produced in the mill is sold to traders in nearby towns. This gives them a substantial income.

Q34. What are the main activities of people living near coastal village areas?

Ans. People in villages near coastal areas earn their livelihood by fishing. Their houses are close to sea and one finds rows of catamarans and nets lying around. At about 7 a.m. there are lot of activities on beach, this is the time when catamarans return with their catch and women gather to buy and sell fish.

Q35. What causes distress among the farmers?

Ans. When crops ruin, farmers sometimes are unable to pay back their loans. And, for the family to survive, they may even have to borrow more money. Soon the loan becomes so large that no matter what they earn, they are unable to repay. This is how they are caught in debt. This has become a major cause of distress among farmers.

Q36. Write a short on people of Pudupet.

Ans. People here earn their living by fishing. Their houses are close to the sea and one finds rows of catamarans and nets lying around. At about 7 o’clock in the morning there is a lot of activity on the beach. This is the time when the catamarans return with their catch and women gather to buy and sell fish.

Q37. Thulasi gets paid very little money for the work she does. Why do you think agricultural labourers like her are forced to accept low wages?

Ans. Many of agricultural labourers are landless and others may own very small plots of land. All of them depend on the work they do on other people's fields to earn a living. As there is no other kind of work in the village for agricultural labourers, they are forced to accept low wages.

Q38. What work does Sekar’s family do? Why do you think Sekar does not usually employ labourers for doing farming work?

Ans. Sekar’s family works in their own field. They own only two acres of land. They manage to do all the work on their own. At times, especially during the harvest they take the help of other small farmers and in turn help them harvest their field. Thus, Sekar does not usually employ labourers for doing farming work.

Q39. What do you think the government can do to help farmers like Sekar when they get into debt? Discuss.

Ans. Government can take the following steps:

                           i.        Provide low rate loan to the farmer so, that they can buy equipment for farming.

                          ii.        Provide seeds and fertilizers on subsidized rate.

                        iii.        Provide loan assistance to the farmers.

Q40. Why does Sekar not go to the town market to get a better price for his paddy?

Ans. Sekar probably gets 60 bags of paddy from his field. Some of this he is forced to sell to trader who gave him seeds and fertilizers as loan at a somewhat lower price than what he would get in the market. The rest is used in his home. He does not have a surplus. That’s why Sekar does not go to the town market to get a better price for his paddy.

Q41. Write a short note on people of Chizami.

Ans. Chizami village is in Phek district in Nagaland. The people of this village belong to the Chakhesang community. They do 'terrace' cultivation. The people of Chizami have their own individual fields. But, they also work collectively in each other's fields. They form groups of six or eight and take an entire mountainside to clean the weeds on it. Each group eats together once their work for the day is over.