Socio-cultural Processes and Livelihood Patterns at Tirurangadi - CDS

Panchayat
Marginal workers -1981 Marginal workers -2001 %ge variation
male female Total male female total Total female
Vallikkunnu 774 778 1552 2283 464 2747 +56.50 -40.36
Thenhippalam 566 477 1043 971 183 1154 +10.64 -61.64
Peruvallur 365 172 537 1410 328 1738 +223.65 +90.70
Munniyur 450 152 602 1492 521 2013 +231.56 +242.76
Parappanangadi 623 318 941 761 287 1048 +22.15 -9.75
Nannambra 293 428 721 1063 254 1317 +262.80 -40.65
Tirurangadi 259 230 489 1153 281 1434 +345.17 +22.37
total 3330 2555 5885 9133 2318 11451 +94.58 -9.38
The above figures in fact show two patterns, one is a major change towards
marginalization that is particularly visible in the major agrarian areas like Tirurangadi,
Nannambra, Munniyur and Peruvallur, seen among the male population and among the
women there is apparently a decline of marginality. However, this should not be
interpreted as showing that women are becoming regular workers. They are in fact, being
transformed into the category of non-workers, that is, moving out of the workforce
altogether.
Thus agricultural change that would benefit the entire population has not taken place. If
the condition of the people has improved, it is not because of agricultural production.
Instead, people have moved away from agriculture on a massive scale and have entered
the field of trade and commerce. Those who persisted with agriculture, partly lured by the
promises of HYV seeds and new methods of farming have not been able to develop a
sustainable form livelihood from it. Agriculture, like any other form of life activity is
susceptible to the domination of the market forces. Perhaps the most important effect of
this domination is that in the quest for remunerative forms of production, people have
tended to destroy the anterior forms of production along with the ecosystems which