Food Security Atlas Of RURAL MAHARASHTRA - WFP Remote ...

Map 5.5: Share of Rural Working Age PopulationRatio of Rural Population in AgeGroup 15-59 to Rural Populationin 0-49 & 59+ Groups1.4 - 1.51.3 - 1.41.2 - 1.31.1 - 1.21.0 - 1.1capita production is lower in the agriculturally developed regions of the state, mainly on account oftheir larger population size, which might be explained by an influx from the adjoining districts. Similarly,in the case of working age group population, the proportion is higher in the north-east and southernregions, where again migratory movement has a definite role.Those who migrate due to lack of employment opportunities are stuck between the devil and thedeep sea. They have little food security in their villages but are just as vulnerable in the destinationareas. Several studies have shown the situation of migrant workers to be quite deplorable (Jha, 2005).The in-migrants in the destination area suffer from exploitation of different kinds at the hands of theiremployers who rarely provide anything apart from wages, and the labourers have to fend for themselvesto meet their basic requirements (Srivastava and Sasikumar, 2003). At the same time migration doesimprove food security in it reduces the proportion of dependents and increase remittances.5.6 Rural Female LiteracyEnhancing female literacy has been recognized as the single most important factor contributing toincrease in food security and decline in malnutrition and mortality levels (UNICEF, 2007a). In the caseof the rural female literacy, Maharashtra is ranked second after Kerala. Almost 60 per cent of therural females of Maharashtra are literate, which is 12 percent points higher than the national average(46 percent) (Table 5.11).54 FOOD SECURITY ATLAS OF RURAL MAHARASHTRA