ABSTRACT
The Punjab, as with other regions in Pakistan, is undergoing enormously complex socioeconomic and political changes with far-reaching consequences to the wellbeing of its people. The Punjab is the main producer of agricultural commodities in Pakistan, accounting for 83 per cent of the cotton, 72 per cent of the wheat, 95 per cent of the rice, 56 per cent of the sugarcane, and 35 per cent of the maize. Faisalabad division is particularly important from an agricultural context. Its alluvial soils, deposited by the Ravi and Chenab rivers, are exceptionally productive for growing cotton, wheat, and sugarcane. This chapter briefly examines and overviews eight villages in order to better comprehend the context of rural life in the Faisalabad region of the Punjab. It is based on fieldwork that preceded the present study and ultimately provided the basis for the selection of the present research site.
