ABSTRACT
Livelihood strategy refers here to the occupation of a person that earns income for his/her livelihood. An occupation is often the main livelihood strategy and the main source of income for households in rural areas. If a person has more than one occupation, the occupation providing the greater share of income is regarded as the primary occupation. Primary occupations of household heads are diversified and vary with the economic class and gender. But in the absence of diversified rural industry and adequate non-farm activities, most people depend on the agricultural sector which is already overcrowded and beset with problems of unemployment, under-employment and low earnings. In spite of these problems, livelihoods in rural Bangladesh are primarily based on agricultural activities and so are related to agricultural seasons. The production of food crops, cash-cropping, agricultural labour and animal husbandry are the main income-generating activities though variations exist between the economic classes. Agriculture, particularly farming, is the main source of income for the majority of rural non-poor households, while chronically poor households largely depend on selling labour in agricultural activities. But demand for agricultural labour does not remain constant, varying with the crop season. Thus demand for labour sometimes turns abruptly downward which results in a decrease in wage and an increase in vulnerability to food insecurity. Daily wage labour and petty trade/selfemployment are also important livelihood strategies for the chronically poor.
