Sustainable Growth: Enhancing Youth Livelihoods with Agricultural Financial Capital Enhancement Skills in Terai Region, West Bengal

Swapnamay Ghosh; Kausik Pradhan; Biman  Maity; Praveenkumar  Marimuthu; Mounika Chigilipalli; Ajay Kumar  Prusty

doi:10.48165/IJEE.2026.62340

Authors

Swapnamay Ghosh
Kausik Pradhan
Biman Maity
Praveenkumar Marimuthu
Mounika Chigilipalli
Ajay Kumar Prusty

https://doi.org/10.48165/IJEE.2026.62340

Keywords:

Financial capital, Rural Youth, Sustainable livelihoods, Skill Development and Risk taking ability.

Abstract

Financial capital has been found as one of the important factors towards sustainability in the rural youth livelihoods, but research on how financial capital can be built through skills enhancement among the rural youth in India is limited. The study aimed to explore the effect of profile factors on skill development based financial capital generation among rural youths of Cooch Behar and Malda districts, West Bengal. A total of 200 farm youth were randomly sampled from 20 randomly selected villages from the four blocks. The data collected during 2025 were analysed with descriptive statistics, correlation analysis and multiple regression analysis. Eight factors such as annual income, annual expenditure, material possession, agricultural implement possession, land holding, risk taking ability, economic motivation and skill possessed were found to influence the financial capital generation through the skill development process positively and significantly whereas training exposure and attitude towards agriculture were negatively and significantly related to the dependent variable of the study. When using multiple regression analysis, the R² value is 0.324. The results indicate the need for targeted skill development training for adolescents to facilitate the development of financial capital and sustainable livelihoods in agriculture in rural communities.

Author Biographies

Swapnamay Ghosh

Ph.D. Research Scholar, Department of Agricultural Extension, Uttar Banga Krishi Viswavidyalaya, Cooch Behar, West Bengal, 736165
Kausik Pradhan

Professor, Department of Agricultural Extension, Uttar Banga Krishi Viswavidyalaya, Pundibari, Cooch Behar, West Bengal, 736165
Biman Maity

Ph.D. Research Scholar, Department of Agricultural Extension, Uttar Banga Krishi Viswavidyalaya, Cooch Behar, West Bengal, 736165
Praveenkumar Marimuthu

Ph.D. Research Scholar, Department of Agricultural Extension, Uttar Banga Krishi Viswavidyalaya, Cooch Behar, West Bengal, 736165
Mounika Chigilipalli

Ph.D. Research Scholar, Department of Agricultural Extension, Uttar Banga Krishi Viswavidyalaya, Cooch Behar, West Bengal, 736165
Ajay Kumar Prusty

Associate Professor, Department of Agricultural Extension Education, MSSSoA, Centurion University of Technology and Management, Paralakhemundi, Odisha-761211

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