Land, People and Rural Livelihood on the Assam–Bhutan Border: A Case Study of Saralpara Forest Village, Kokrajhar District, Assam (India)

Opportunities for rural livelihood are primarily influenced by a region’s location, level of development, access to land, resource allocation status and the prevailing socio-economic complexity. Securing the basic necessities of life becomes difficult in rural areas characterised by backwardness, uncertainty and vulnerability, which calls for rural development to strengthen the fight against poverty. The Assam–Bhutan border is one of the most underdeveloped border regions of India, severely affected by economic constraints, ethnic conflicts and most importantly, it has historically been a shelter for rebels hiding out in the region’s dense forests. This article presents an exploratory village-level case study along the Assam–Bhutan border. The study sought to gain in-depth insights into the livelihood system, rural struggle and responses to pressures and adversity. The study sheds light on forest dwellers’ challenges in securing their land rights and sustaining their livelihood. The study reveals that the villagers’ options for a living are limited and are further exacerbated by the temporary possession of land and the constant fear of eviction. The primary source of livelihood is agriculture. Another source of income is informal trading in the form of weekly and daily markets. The survival of the regional economy entirely depends on the influx of customers from neighbouring Bhutan’s border villages.