Thisvolume is a compilation of essays that focus on livelihood issuesfaced byforest communities of the southern Western Ghats regionof India.Communities living along the fringes of forests are, more often than not, overlooked in academic and policy discussions. However, they face considerable pressures, being sandwiched between conservation endeavours and the forces of urbanization and commercialization. The chapters in this book provide an insight into the kinds of livelihood issues these communitiesface and the potential meansthat can be adopted to sustain these livelihoods. This...

This volume features essays that focus on livelihood issues faced by forest communities of the southern Western Ghats region of India. It illustrates the application of a variety of assessment tools, from qualitative narratives to quantitative evaluations.

Based on case studies from Karnataka in South India, the book presents a regional yet integrated multi-disciplinary framework for analysing the persistence, resilience and future of small farmer units.