Alternative perspectives on livelihoods, agriculture and air pollution: agriculture in urban and peri-urban areas in a developing country

This book is based on a synthesis of community perspectives from selected urban and peri-urban villages of Varanasi and Faridabad districts of the Indian states of Uttah Pradesh and Harayana. It approaches the topic of air pollution in a holistic manner considering local lives and livelihoods from the perspectives of local communities, in which impact of air pollution on agriculture has been viewed as part of a whole livelihood system. The objectives of the participatory field study were: to learn from local women and men groups of farmers about the importance of agriculture and their livelihood strategies; to learn about the constraints in agricultural practices and their coping strategies; to learn about the impact of air pollution on agriculture, health and others. The book is divided into six chapters. The first introduces the background to the study; the second describes community perspectives from Varanasi; the third from Fariabad; Chapter 4 provides a comparative picture between the two settings; Chapter 5 draws upon the lessons learnt from the field; and Chapter 6 describes the methodology of field inquiry. The main message of the book is that the rampant pace of industrialisation and urbanisation and their externalities/impacts are bringing chaotic conditions to the lives and livelihoods of countless farmers by weakening agricultural systems and human and animal health, as well as increasing poverty, disease and uncertainties. In order to learn about such impacts it is advocated that farmers are listened to, as they provide gateways to building micro-macro linkages in policies and actions towards sustainable development.