Adapting to Drought: Beyond the Village

Abstract

So far   I have concentrated on describing the agro-pastoral economy of western   Rajasthan, emphasising the ways in which it is organised and the way it   incorporates risk management. I have also discussed the twin hierarchies of   caste and landownership which are an important aspect of the context within   which agro-pastoralism operates. In this chapter I will pursue two themes.   Firstly I wish to show in greater detail how economic opportunities are   opened or closed by position in either of the caste or landownership   hierarchies. This partly involves a discussion of labour relations, but moves   to an examination of various types of emigration and the ways in which caste   and economic status affect the pattern of emigration. The second theme is the   role of the state in famine relief and development.