Agricultural Transformation Due to Rural-Urban Migration: An Analysis of the Situation in Assam

Abstract

The process of urbanisation, particularly the labour migration from rural to urban areas has become one of the significant reasons for agricultural transformation. The migrants to urban areas have played an essential role in the decline of agriculture. As the youth leave the rural places for other destinations, those left behind are expected to contribute to the development of agriculture in particular. Like in other states of India, the agricultural sector plays an important role in the state economy of Assam. But in modern times, the people of Assam do not see agriculture as their career as the agricultural system in Assam is mainly based on traditional farming techniques even in the 21st century, which involves a lot of physical and mental stress to get the value of their hard work. Hence, people move to urban areas to improve their quality of life. The massive rural to urban migration has impacted the agricultural transformation in this region. This paper attempts to provide a qualitative analysis of how rural-urban migration has affected the agricultural transformation, particularly in Assam.