Explain the role of non-farm employment in promoting rural diversificaiton.

Agricultural diversification is a system of farming that encourages production of a variety of plant and animals and their products. Non-farm employment provides greater income stability, economies of size also reduces uncertainty of business. It involves maximum number of persons as it is labour intensive in nature. Small and marginal holdings account for about three-fourths of the total operational holdings in the country, operating over one-fourths of the total area. Majority of small and marginal farmers cultivate mainly low value subsistence crops. In the absence of farm and non-farm employment opportunities, they are forced to live below poverty line. So this problem is solved with the help of commercialisation and diversification of small farmers within and outside agriculutre and their proper integration with local and global markets. This is helpful not only in liberating the small and marginal farmers from the poverty trap, but also to meet the country's growing demands for fruits, vegetables, milk and milk products, meat, fishes, eggs etc. which generally show rising trends with increasing levels of per capita income in the economy.