Occupational profile of Madiya Ribes of Bastar plateau

Abstract

Investigations were carried out in the Bastar Plateau of Chhattisgarh to examine the occupational profile and livelihood diversification of the Madiya tribes, using ex-post facto research design. Primary data were collected from 320 respondents across four districts namely Bijapur, Bastar, Dantewada and Narayanpur, through pre-structured interviews, and secondary through Focused Group Discussions (FGDs), and Key Informant Interviews (KIIs). The study revealed that the agriculture is primary source of livelihood of the respondents, approximately 98.44 per cent households engaged in agriculture, followed by animal husbandry (82.19%), labour (69.69%) and collection of NTFP (64.38%). Findings indicate that no respondent relies on a single source of income, majority 45 per cent of the Madiya tribes engages in more than four occupations to sustain the livelihood. Notably, traditional activities dominate formal sector like service (9.69%) and business (6.25%), the study concludes that occupational diversification is crucial for the Madiya tribe, ensuring economic stability and providing a sustainable buffer against environmental and socio-economic shocks.