Socio-economic analysis of farmers in Rupnagar District, Punjab, India: Challenges and opportunities

An essential component of socioeconomic development is agriculture. About 58% of Indians rely solely on agriculture for their major source of income (IBEF, 2021), while 70% of rural households make this their only source of income. The Indian economy heavily relies on the agriculture sector, which contributes approximately 20% of the country's GDP. With its 20.19 percent GDP contribution, agriculture is a vital sector of the Indian economy (DAC&FW Annual Report, 2020–21). Agriculture and socioeconomic status are closely related to one another. Socioeconomic variables that affect income, education, and resource availability have a big impact on productivity and agricultural methods. The present study focused on the farmers of the three villages of Punjab i.e. Dhainpura, Kakrali, Dhangrali, Khairpur, Dhanauri. The research used a questionnaire-based methodology to collect data from interviews with 100 farmers altogether. The major objective is to examine the socioeconomic factors influencing the employment and living conditions of the farming population in these locations. Significant factors including age, education, landholding, family structure, and information source are chosen in order to assess the socio-profile of the farmers. These observations have major consequences for targeted developmental and educational initiatives and aid in the clarification of the socioeconomic dynamics of the farming community. This study highlights how crucial it is to acknowledge the various socioeconomic backgrounds and interests of farmers in Punjab's Rupnagar area.