DECODING THE NEXUS BETWEEN SOCIOECONOMIC FACTORS AND POVERTY ALLEVIATION IN THE NORTHERN PROVINCE OF SRI LANKA

Abstract

The economic downturn due to the catastrophic Civil War that lasted for 30 years followed by unstable governance, and the pandemic outbreak has made it difficult for Sri Lanka to achieve the sustainable development goal [SDG No.01] of No Poverty (World Health Organization [WHO], 2015). Poverty undermines the stability of a nation and weakens its economy, politics, and social well-being. The Civil War that existed in Sri Lanka has affected the economic stability and the social well-being of the households in war-torn regions. The objective of this study is to investigate the poverty dynamics in a developing economy that has been impacted by Civil War and to ascertain the extent to which socioeconomic factors influence poverty alleviation in such an economy. This study employed a self-administered questionnaire to collect data from 300 farming households located in the Thunukai Divisional Secretariat Division of Mullaitivu District in the Northern Province. The findings of Ordinary Least Square and the Probit Models demonstrate that the availability of sufficient land enriched with long-term crops, sufficient water availability, technological advancement in agriculture, balanced gender participation in agricultural activities, and a substantial increase in farming expenditure play a crucial role in alleviating poverty within the households. The theoretical recommendations were provided to optimize the use of the identified predictors in the model estimation such as the reinstatement of community development practices, reformation and redevelopment of the local industries that improve the economic overhead and the involvement of communal activities in the vulnerable areas of society to rebuild the social overhead.

Keywords: Poverty, Agriculture, Poverty Measures, Land Management, Poverty Alleviation