This study focuses on the rural migrant distress in the context of poverty, informality, and difficulties in adopting livelihoods, which is emphasized during droughts. The research was conducted in rural villages in a drought-prone region of Kalaburagi district, Karnataka, where recurrent weather variability leads to distress migration of poor rural households. The study finds that farming practices in the region primarily rely on rain-fed agriculture. Fluctuating rainfall and low irrigation intensity result in lower crop output and farmer income. As a survival strategy, marginal farmers, small farmers, and landless agriculture labourers from poverty-stricken sections of the population move to developed regions in search of employment. However, distress migration does not significantly improve the migrants’ present income or quality of life. The study’s core outcome sheds light on the challenges faced by poor rural households, emphasizing the need for policies that promote sustainable livelihoods in rural areas. It contributes to the growing body of literature on rural development and provides insights for policymakers and practitioners seeking to address rural migrant distress and promote sustainable livelihoods in drought-prone regions of India.

本研究重点关注贫困、非正规性和谋生困难等背景下的农村移民困境，这一点在干旱期间尤为突出。这项研究是在卡纳塔克邦卡拉布拉吉区干旱多发地区的乡村进行的，那里反复无常的天气变化导致贫困农村家庭陷入困境。研究发现该地区的农业实践主要依赖于雨养农业。降雨量波动和灌溉强度低导致农作物产量和农民收入下降。作为一种生存策略，贫困人口中的边缘农民、小农和无地农业劳动力迁移到发达地区寻找就业机会。然而，困境移民并没有显着改善移民目前的收入或生活质量。该研究的核心成果揭示了贫困农村家庭面临的挑战，强调需要制定促进农村地区可持续生计的政策。它为越来越多的关于农村发展的文献做出了贡献，并为寻求解决农村移民困境和促进印度干旱地区可持续生计的政策制定者和实践者提供了见解。