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Evaluating sustainable agricultural livelihood security in West Bengal, India: a principal component analysis approach

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Listed:
  • Shibu Das

    (Jawaharlal Nehru University)

  • Kaushal Kumar Sharma

    (Jawaharlal Nehru University)

  • Suranjan Majumder

    (University of North Bengal)

  • Indrajit Roy Chowdhury

    (University of North Bengal)

Abstract

This study undertook an examination of livelihood security in West Bengal, a predominantly agriculture-based region situated in eastern India. Our investigation centred around the Sustainable Agriculture Livelihood Security Index (SALSI), which integrates four fundamental dimensions: ecological security index (ESI), economic efficiency index (EEI), infrastructure sufficiency index (ISI) and social equity index (SEI), and represented a total of 36 diverse indicators associated with these SALSI. We employed the “non-dimensionalization” approach to quantify the aforementioned dimensions. Principal component analysis was then employed to discern the pivotal indicators associated with each component of the SALSI. The study unveiled notable inter-district spatial variations in the four facets of the SALSI. Notably, Paschim Medinipur achieved the highest SALSI score at 0.60, while Jalpaiguri recorded the lowest at 0.35. Among the sub-components, ESI emerged as the strongest with a score of 0.57, surpassing EEI (0.52), ISI (0.36) and SEI (0.46). Remarkably, Purulia, Jalpaiguri and Uttar Dinajpur districts exhibited a notably limited level of sustainability in their agriculture-based livelihoods. In contrast, North 24 Parganas, Birbhum, Uttar Dinajpur, Purba Medinipur, Paschim Medinipur and Bardhaman demonstrated a high degree of sustainability in their agricultural livelihoods. These findings offer valuable insights to inform policymakers and relevant stakeholders, facilitating the transformation of districts with low sustainability levels into regions with moderate and high agricultural sustainability through the formulation and implementation of appropriate policies. The methodology presented in this study can be effectively applied across varying scales in other regions within India and in similar contexts in other developing nations. Graphical abstract

Suggested Citation

  • Shibu Das & Kaushal Kumar Sharma & Suranjan Majumder & Indrajit Roy Chowdhury, 2025. "Evaluating sustainable agricultural livelihood security in West Bengal, India: a principal component analysis approach," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 27(2), pages 4769-4816, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:endesu:v:27:y:2025:i:2:d:10.1007_s10668-023-04097-w
    DOI: 10.1007/s10668-023-04097-w
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