India, Oct. 2 -- Lack of irrigation facilities and changing weather patterns are increasingly affecting rural livelihoods, forcing people to migrate in search of better economic opportunities, said Benoy Peter, Executive Director at Centre for Migration and Inclusive Development, on Friday.

He was speaking during a session titled 'Migration & Climate' at the Earth Again Conference 2026 organised by the Sambad Group in the Odisha capital here.

According to Peter, the absence of irrigation means that farmers in many villages are able to cultivate only one crop a year, leaving little scope for generating cash income. Earlier, a single crop was enough to ensure food security for rural households. However, changing climatic conditions have...