Rural livelihoods in India primarily consist of agricultural laborers, small-scale farmers, and farmers who supplement their income through other means. These livelihoods cause various environmental issues. Agricultural runoff pollutes water sources with fertilizers and pesticides, resulting in health issues. Burning of fields and use of biomass for cooking also contributes to air pollution. Environmental degradation occurs through overuse of resources, deforestation, overgrazing, and species extinction. These issues disproportionately impact rural areas due to close ties to the land and lack of infrastructure.

1. RURAL LIVELIHOOD AND ENVIORNMENTAL
ISSUES

2. Rural Livelihoods in India
• Rural areas are those areas that do not have modern facilities and the population is way
lower than in cities. Livelihoods mean the type of jobs and lifestyles people lead to earn a
living.
Types of Rural Livelihoods
1)Agriculture Labourers
Agriculture labourers are those people in rural areas who work as labour in fields and get
daily wages. They comprise two- fifths of the total rural population in India! These labourers
do not own land of their own, thus are forced to work in the lands of richer farmers. Even if
some labourers own land, it is extremely small and not enough for the family. These workers
are sadly exploited by rich farmers, as they don’t have any alternative ways to earn money
and they come in plenty as ‘cheap labour’ for the fields.

3. • 2) Farmers :- This group consist of villagers who carry out farming activities in their own
lands. They sow seeds, and harvest crops by themselves and also reap the profits
themselves.
• However, eighty percent of these farmers also have very small land holdings and need to
depend on other sources of income like having a poultry or dairy business.
• To earn enough money to barely survive, these farmers borrow money from money
lenders for seeds, fertilisers, etc., and are at great risk of being in debt. This is why we
hear of so many unfortunate news of farmer suicides in India.

4. 3)Farmers with Other Sources of Income:- The farmers who do not earn
enough from their land, or by working on other rich farmer’s lands need other
sources of income. They work in mills near the farms or sell milk of the cows that
they own. Selling other by-products like sap, collecting wood, leaves of certain
plants, fruits, etc., helps them to sustain and survive. Some farmers also seasonally
go to the cities or towns to work as wage earners as there is more opportunity to
earn money in cities.

6. VARIOUS ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES CAUSED BY THE RURAL
LIVELIHOOD
Water Pollution:- Water pollution is one of the most pervasive environmental
problems impacting rural health. The lack of a municipal water supply in rural areas
creates a reliance on groundwater wells for household use.
• Unlike municipal water, well water is not tested or treated regularly for toxic contaminants.
• People dependent on well water are especially vulnerable to the dangers associated with water
pollution.
• There are numerous ways in which the pollution of water can occur.
a)The improper disposal of waste is a common cause of water pollution in rural areas. This includes the
dumping of trash into roadside
ditches or streambeds, or the burial of waste beneath the ground. Waste can be carried by runoff into
streams, rivers, or in ponds.
b) Fertilizers and pesticides are also common sources of water pollution in rural areas. These chemicals
use nitrogen and phosphoric compounds to increase yields and prevent insect damage to crops

7. THROWING OF GARBAGE IN
THE RIVER
USAGE OF FERTILIZERS AND PESTICIDES
MIXING OF THE FACTORY WASTAGE
INTO THE MAIN RIVER
LEADS TO THE DEATH OF WATER
ORGANISMS

9. AIR POLLUTION
• Another way in which rural health can be impacted is by air pollution. Though it
is common to think that issues of air quality are only a problem in urban areas,
this is a misconception.
• Just as the use of chemical pesticides and fertilizers can impact water quality,
they can also be a significant source of air pollution. Pesticide drift occurs when
chemicals are transported from their source by the wind.
• During times of low humidity and high temperature, toxic compounds can
evaporate into the air and be inhaled
• Can cause various health issues as well like ASTHAMA,MENATL ILLNESS

11. Smoke from small scale factories
Burning of crop
field after
cultivation
Usage of
cowdungcakes, wood
for cooking

12. Environmental Problems faced by Rural Areas
They are also facing some environmental problems due to their ignorance,
illiteracy, poverty and superstitions.
Some environmental problems faced by rural peoples are outlined below:
• 1. Poor sanitation: Because of the illiteracy and poverty of the people in rural
area, they do not know the importance of sanitation and hygiene. Such an
ignorance causes environmental pollution leading to the break out of a number
of epidemics like cholera, typhoid etc.
• 2. Conversion of Farm land to housing land: To provide shelter to the increased
population in rural areas, more and more agricultural lands are being utilized for
housing purposes by rural peoples. This results in decreased per capita
availability of cultivated land which ultimately induces over cultivation.

13. • 3. Lack of drainage facilities: Lack of drainage facilities and open
defecation make the rural areas Filthy and unhygienic which directly or
indirectly help in spreading of a number of diseases.
• 4. Indiscriminate use of pesticides and fertilizers: To increase the crop
productivity for providing food to increased population, the illiterate
rural farmers used a number of pesticides and fertilizers, not in proper
amount. The excess of pesticides and agrochemicals accumulate in water
bodies and soil causing potential health hazards in humans and other
aquatic and terrestrial living organisms (animals).
• 5. Salination, desertification and degradation of Lands: The overuse of
cultivation of farm lands in rural areas and ,misuse of water meant for
irrigation lead to salination, desertification and land degradation.

14. REASONS FOR ENVIORNMENTAL DEGRADATION
• Several types of environmental degradation can change potentially renewable resource
into non-renewable, permanently extinct, or unusable resources:
• 1. Covering of productive land with water, silt, concrete, asphalt, or buildings to such an
extent that crop growth declines and places for wildlife to live (habitats) are lost.
• 2. Cultivating land without proper soil management so that crop growth is reduced by
soil erosion and depletion of plant nutrients. Each year the world’s farmers must feed 95
million more people with 24 billion fewer metric tons (26 billion tons) of topsoil.
• 3. Irrigating cropland without sufficient drainage so that excessive build-up of water
(waterlogging) or salts (salinization) in the soil decreases crop growth.
• 4. Removing water from underground reservoirs (aquifers) and surface waters (rivers and
lakes) faster than it is replaced by natural processes. Water scarcity is emerging on every
continent.

15. • 5. Removing trees from large areas (deforestation) without adequate replanting so that wildlife
habitats are destroyed and long-term timber growth is decreased. Every minute a piece of tropical
forest of the size of 20 city blocks disappears.
• 6. Depletion of grass by livestock (overgrazing) so that soil is eroded to the point where productive
grasslands are converted into unproductive land and deserts (desertification).
• 7. Killing various forms (species) of wild plant and animal life through destruction of habitat,
commercial hunting, pest control and pollution to the point where these species no longer exist
(extinction).

16. • The overall consequence of environmental degradation is very significant in rural areas than urban location there is direct
poverty connection with environmental degradation table23.3

17. CONCLUSION
• The problems faced by people living in rural communities are inherently
different from those in urban and suburban areas.
• People in these settings often have closer ties to the land for their
livelihood and health. Common environmental problems in rural areas
relate to the pollution of water and air and are often the result of poor
management of natural resources.
• Deficiencies in rural healthcare, along with unique socioeconomic
challenges, exacerbate the problems associated with rural health. Due to a
mix of factors that characterize rural areas, these challenges need to be
addressed with improved education, strategic planning and policy reform