Rural Livelihood Diversification

Close to half of India's workers still depend on agriculture

The Periodic Labour Force Survey recorded 45.8 per cent of workers (usual status) in agriculture and allied activities in 2022-23, after 46.5 per cent in 2020-21 and 45.5 per cent in 2021-22. In NSO's 2019 survey, about 58.3 per cent of rural households reported agricultural activities as their main source of income. Agriculture's share of work is far larger than its share of output: the RBI working group recorded agriculture and allied activities at 16.14 per cent of gross value added at current prices in 2018-19. Evidence confidence: High.