Changing Livelihood Strategies of Badi Communityafter Chhinchu-Jajarkot Highway (A Case Study of Rakam Vdc, Surkhet)

Abstract

The study entitled “Changing Livelihood Strategies of Badi Community after theChhinchu Jajarkot Highway: A case Study of Rakam VDC, Surkhet.” It has been carried out using primary and secondary sources of data received fromRakam VDC, Surkhet district. The data were collected from field survey by applyinghousehold survey questionnaire, observation and key informants interview.Descriptive analytical and comparative method are used to analyze the data in thisstudy. The general objective of the study is to assess the changing livelihood strategies ofBadi after the Chhinchu Jajarkot Highway. The specific objectives of the studies areto investigate the socio economic status of Badi community, to trace out the changinglivelihood strategies and their impacts, to find out the outcome of developmentpractices in their social structure. The total population of Badi community is 235 among them55.55% are male and44.45 % are female.in which 18.29%are economically inactive and 81.71 % areactive population. The livelihood strategies of Badi community seem to change after the Chhinchu-Jajarkot highway although they are poorer than other caste groups.It is still a socialtaboo in Badi community that they allow to their daughter and sister to involve themin the prostitutions. This is known as moral less and hatefulness profession inNepalese society. But the Badi community in Rakam VDC, they never follow theprostitution. Fishing, weaving fishing nets, making/repairing drum (Madal), makingpipes (Chilims) are the traditional occupation and main occupation (46.38%) beforethe highway. After the establishment of infrastructure development especiallytransportation health facilities, they are shifting towards the moderns i.e. foreign job(19.20 %), livestock (16.00 %), wage labor (33.65 %) and agriculture (202%). It hasincreased the socio-economic status of Badi which change the food habit, the schoolgoing number of the children both in private boarding school and public school. Mostof the Badi people are land less. Most of them do not have sufficient land for v surviving. The size of land holding has increased. Changing Cropping pattern,agricultural inputs, vegetable production and livestock rearing has increased. They do not believe in superstitions belief. None of them believe in traditional healingand started to go to health post(71.48%), hospital and private medical clinic(28.52%)for the regular checkup and treatmentbut before the highway it was 81.8%believe in traditional healing. They are socially aware and conscious in sanitation,education(46.23% literate and 53.77% illiterate)and safe drinking water. To change the livelihood of Badi community in Rakam VDC is due to theinfrastructure development facilities in general and highway in particular. Littleimprovement is not all things. There are still some hardships and barriers. Socialuntouchability is still deep-rooted issues. The term ‘Badi’ itself is the self humiliationfor others. The most complex problems are about the landlessness, unemployment,lack of education, social insecurity etc, are the burning issues for them. It is necessary to think about the above mentioned issues of Badi from the side of thegovernment and the concerned agencies. If those problems areaddressed, the livingstatus and livelihood of Badi will raise.