Authors:
Sagar Onkarrao Manjare, Coleridge N. Marak

Addresses:
Department of Management, Mahatma Gandhi University, Byrnihat, Meghalaya, India. Department of Economics, Mahatma Gandhi University, Byrnihat, Meghalaya, India.

Abstract:

The study article examines how the dynamics of the informal sector, ecological reliance, and social institutions affect job chances in rural areas, specifically in the East Garo Hills of Meghalaya. To examine transitions from subsistence to sustainability, it utilises a mixed-methods approach with a sample of 300 households. This design integrates quantitative analysis with qualitative observations. The results show that more than 90% of workers rely on informal activities such as agriculture, forest collection, and small-scale trading. This is because only 40% of workers have access to formal money. The main reason for large income drops at certain times of year is changes in the weather and increased demand for resources. Increasing the variety of ways people make a living has a strong effect on household strength (β = 8.5, p < 0.001), and education and access to credit amplify this effect. Even though it helps keep the family line going, the matrilineal system limits women's ability to make money in high-value markets. The research proposes connections among microcredit, skill development, ecotourism, cooperatives, and digital inclusion to foster sustainable informal economies. The Sustainable Livelihoods Framework, combined with Ecological Economics, serves as the basis for these approaches. 

Keywords: Informal Sector; Livelihood Resilience; Ecological Economics; Matrilineal Society; Shifting Cultivation; Financial Inclusion; Gender and Governance; Regional Economic Development.

Received on: 04/09/2024, Revised on: 25/10/2024, Accepted on: 16/12/2024, Published on: 09/09/2025

DOI: 10.69888/FTSHS.2025.000514

FMDB Transactions on Sustainable Humanities and Society, 2025 Vol. 2 No. 3, Pages: 100-112

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