Exploring the Socio-Demographic Profile of Rural Vegetable Growers Affected by the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Comparative Insight from Coastal Odisha

The COVID-19 pandemic not only caused severe health risks but also disrupted the global economy, significantly affecting various sectors, including agriculture. The present study explores the socio-demographic profile of rural vegetable growers impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic using key socio-demographic variables. An ex-post facto research design was adopted for the study. A multistage sampling technique was used for the selection of 240 vegetable growers across 8 villages in 4 blocks from 2 districts of Odisha for the study. The findings reveal that majority of the vegetable growers were middle aged (57.08%) had primary school level of education (37.50%), living in nuclear families (53.75%), with small family sizes (55.00%), are marginal farmers (56.67%), with a farming experience of 9 to 16 years (60.42%) and an annual income of ₹ 50,001 to 1,00,000 (35.00%), respectively. The study emphasizes the vulnerabilities faced by rural vegetable growers and underscores the need for strengthening their resilience to withstand future crises.