Training Needs for Livelihood Diversification of the Farmers of West Bengal

Livelihood diversification is a sound alternative for higher economic growth and its success or failure is conditioned by interplay of multitude of factors. Based on research from Darjeeling and Uttar Dinajpur districts of West Bengal this paper presents evidence that out of the total 160 sample about 115 respondents diversified their livelihood. Further, around 53 per cent of the diversifiers were successful were sufficiently confident of its business potential to invest further in either expansion or improvement subsequent to its establishment. Majority of the diversifiers (62.50%) under the high success category adopted non-farming nature of diversification along with farm diversification. On the other hand, under the low success category, majority of the respondents (45.46%) depended on farm diversification only for their sole livelihood activity. The successful diversifiers had three most important training needs and the unsuccessful diversifiers perceived that they need awareness about diversification, development of entrepreneurial capabilities and optimum use of resources. The most relevant training needs of non-diversifier farmers were profitable levels of diversification in crop farming, overcoming the fear of change in their traditional farming systems and vulnerability management strategy.