Value of Living

Credit: Sanjit Das

The economic standing of a community is primarily gauged by its living standards. In agriculturally rich Nabha, the population of over 190,000 inhabitants has thrived on traditional farming activities. However, over the last decade, modern commercialised and chemical farming practices have eroded the fertility of arable land. This has compelled farmers to exit the sector in significant numbers creating a deep void in the income earning potential of affected families.

Gender-related indicators add to the predicament, with the female labour participation in rural Punjab at an abysmal low of 4 percent against a nation-wide rate of 23.1 percent.

With this background, the Nabha Foundation’s economic development initiatives are an important component for an integrated and sustainable approach to rural development. Our prime objective is to provide access to improved and new means of livelihoods for the people of Nabha.

Crucial to the Foundation’s long-term strategy to improve livelihood prospects in Nabha, our programmes in Women’s Empowerment, Livestock Development and Youth Employment, focus on expanding the economic opportunities of small, medium and landless farmers, marginal families, women and youth.