Agrarian Change, Migration, and Livelihood Diversification in Rural Tamil Nadu

This study examines the dynamics of agrarian change and livelihood diversification in Semboothi, a village located in the Ponnamaravathi block of Pudukottai district, Tamil Nadu. Drawing on primary data from a detailed household survey covering 100 households (462 individuals) across six caste groups, the research investigates the intersection of caste, migration, education, and occupational shifts within a transforming rural economy. The study reveals that the rural economy is undergoing a significant transformation marked by the declining viability of agriculture, a sharp rise in non-farm employment, and increasing dependence on migration. While agriculture remains symbolically important, only 73% of households own land, with average holdings of 1.67 acres and limited irrigation access—factors that contribute to agrarian distress and push even landowning castes towards alternative livelihoods. Caste continues to strongly mediate access to land, education, and mobility. Scheduled Caste (SC) and Muslim households, historically excluded from agrarian privilege, now report higher average per capita incomes (₹63,731 and ₹70,800 respectively) than some dominant castes, driven by greater integration into urban labor markets and higher educational attainment. Intergenerational data show marked improvements in education among SCs and intermediary castes like Konars, while groups like Ambalakarars and Maravars display stagnation or decline. Migration, particularly among SC, Konar, and Maravar households, has emerged as a central strategy for livelihood security: migrant households earn 55.6% more on average than non-migrants, with the highest gains recorded among SCs (101.1%) and Maravars (154.5%). Even among landowning households, 27.4% reported sending members for migrant work due to declining returns from farming. Occupational diversification is evident across caste lines, yet remains stratified; while some move into skilled urban jobs or overseas employment, others remain confined to low-paying informal labor. The study concludes that while Semboothi's rural transformation offers new avenues of mobility—particularly through education and migration—these gains are uneven and mediated by caste, land, and access to infrastructure, reinforcing the need for targeted, caste-sensitive policy interventions to ensure inclusive rural development.