Livelihood of two Pottery Production Villages in Manipur, India

Abstract
This paper investigates the ways and means of pursuing livelihood activities by traditional crafters in rural Manipur, India. It explores how people of similar socio-cultural background in different areas manage to attain their basic needs and what factors shaped and determined in achieving different livelihood outcomes. The research work is conducted in the two Lois villages of Manipur, expertise in pottery work. Research results bring out the dissimilarities of economic activity performed by the crafters and found out that the village, which continuous to practise the ancestral occupation is better off than the other village which pottery is in the verge of extinction. The alternatives available are limited to some primary and crude secondary activities and pottery seems to be the most suitable activity the villages in their prevailing scenario. It is also noticed that the involvement in this occupation is governed by the geographical location and accessibility to main markets as well as their attitude towards the craft making that overall make the differences. The study identifies the key constraints and factors that hinder the rural people in achieving sustainable livelihood and their differences of involvement in economic activities.
Keywords: Livelihood, Pottery, Lois, Manipur, India.