Title: UNVEILING AND PRIORITIZING CROP CONSTRAINTS FACED BY SCHEDULED CASTE HOUSEHOLDS

Authors: Mansi Raj, Gopal Sankhala and Ramesh Chandra Bunkar

Publisher: The President, Society of Extension Education Gujarat

Keywords: scheduled caste farmers, crop constraints, arid agriculture, analytical hierarchy process, livelihood security

Volume: 41

Issue: 2

Year: June 2026

DOI: https://doi.org/10.56572/gjoee.2026.41.2.0013

Abstract: India, the most populous nation in the world, depends mostly on agriculture and related industries to support rural livelihoods. Agriculture is a major source of income in Rajasthan, an arid state with a sizable Scheduled Caste (SC) population. However, several production and market-related obstacles prevent SC farmers from improving their standard of living. In the arid regions of Bikaner and Hanumangarh in Rajasthan, the current study sought to identify and prioritise the challenges faced by SC households involved in crop farming. Data from 240 respondents chosen from six villages were gathered using an ex post facto study design. The Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) was used to determine the relative significance of constraints through pairwise comparisons, while consistency ratios were assessed to ensure the reliability of responses. The findings showed that production-related issues were the most common, followed by marketing limitations. Financial and informational constraints ranked third in influencing the adoption and continuation of crop farming practices. The study highlights that it is imperative to mitigate vulnerability and foster sustainable livelihood security in arid regions by strengthening climate-resilient agricultural practices, enhancing extension services, ensuring timely payments, expanding inclusive credit systems, and improving market efficiency.