City jobs and owner of farm land — prerequisites for prospective grooms have changed
Down to Earth reports from the drought-prone region of Marathwada, Maharashtra, where a unique problem has come to the forefront.
Years of weather vagaries, low yield, rising inflation, an uncertain future and a skewed sex ratio have made farmers from this region very undesirable prospects for young women.
Read more: Water, Marathwada women’s woe: No brides for farmers as families look for city matches
While women don't want men to let go of their farmland, it has become vital for them that their future husbands have a tertiary source of income or, even better, be settled in the city.
This ensures they are protected from erratic weather patterns and have better infrastructure to sustain themselves. Moreover, cities also have better education and medical facilities. But the question remains, what will become of India's villages if women keep veering away from agriculture?
The future of a country where most of the population still depends on agriculture to sustain themselves is now also uncertain.
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