Caste and Gender Differences in the Vulnerability to Severity of Multidimensional Poverty Among Agricultural Workers Across India’s Agro-Climatic Zones Using NFHS 4 and 5 Data (2015–2019)

Abstract

This research analyses the interplay of caste and gender concerning multidimensional poverty among agricultural labourers in India’s 15 agro-climatic zones. It analyses data of the National Family Health Survey rounds 4 (2015–2016) and 5 (2019–2021), focusing on 51,426 and 50,895 agricultural workers, respectively. The Alkire–Foster method, in accordance with the global Multidimensional Poverty Index, evaluates the levels of vulnerable multidimensionally poor, multidimensionally poor and severely multidimensionally poor across the dimensions of education, health and standard of living. Intersectionality analysis examines the connections between multidimensional poverty and variables related to gender and caste. Findings indicate the widespread existence of disparities in multidimensional poverty related to gender and caste. Women exhibit a higher likelihood of experiencing poverty compared to men, although the disparity has slightly decreased during 2015–2016 to 2019–2021. Scheduled Tribes exhibit markedly higher poverty probabilities in comparison to Scheduled Castes, whereas Other Backward Classes and General categories demonstrate reduced poverty likelihood. The models demonstrate strong statistical significance (p < .05) and account for a small yet meaningful proportion of the variance in poverty. This study enhances the comprehension of the intricate relationships between gender, caste and regional influences in determining multidimensional poverty among agricultural workers in India, underscoring the necessity for focused interventions to tackle these enduring disparities.