Rural Non-Farm Employment in Rajasthan : Determinants, Welfare Effects, and Enterprise Performance

This paper examines rural non-farm employment in Rajasthan, India, using multiple surveys and administrative data. The analysis covers three key aspects: individual and district-level determinants of participation in non-farm activities, the relationship between non-farm employment and household welfare, and barriers faced by rural enterprises. The findings show that secondary education strongly predicts participation in non-farm activities, particularly in skilled service sector jobs. However, women and socially marginalized groups face significant barriers in accessing non-farm employment, especially in higher-paying occupations. Households with members in regular non-farm employment, particularly in services, show significantly higher consumption levels, while casual non-farm work yields welfare levels similar to agricultural labor. Rural enterprises face multiple constraints, with lack of local demand and limited access to credit emerging as key barriers to business performance. The results suggest that although non-farm employment can substantially improve household welfare, access to better-paying opportunities remains highly unequal. Policy interventions should ad-dress both human capital development and structural barriers to create more inclusive access to non-farm employment opportunities.