American Research Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences

Land and forest resources have historically formed the foundation of tribal livelihoods, shaping patterns of employment, subsistence, and community life. Over time, however, increasing pressure on natural resources, changes in land use, industrial expansion, and modern development processes have contributed to significant changes in the economic activities of tribal communities. This study examines the transition in traditional livelihood patterns among selected tribal communities using Indian Census data for 1981, 1991, and 2011. Particular attention is given to the Konyak, Ao, and Angami communities, with an emphasis on changes in the distribution of main and marginal workers across cultivation, agricultural labour, household industries, and other occupational categories. Percentage-based analysis is employed to identify broad shifts in the structure of tribal employment. Traditionally, cultivation, including shifting cultivation and wet-rice terrace farming, constituted an important component of the tribal economy. Census trends, however, indicate a gradual reduction in dependence on cultivation and a corresponding movement towards non-farm livelihood activities. Transport and communication, petty trade and retail activities, services, and weaving have increasingly emerged as alternative sources of income. The findings indicate a gradual restructuring of traditional livelihood systems as tribal households respond to changing economic opportunities and wider processes of socio-economic transformation.

Keywords: Rural Transformation, Agriculture, Tribal Livelihoods, Workers, Household Industry, Occupational Change.