Factors Influencing Moonlighting Among Agricultural Workers in Anuradhapura District

Abstract

Moonlighting pursuing a secondary occupation alongside primary agricultural work has emerged as a substantial income diversification strategy among rural agricultural workers in Sri Lanka. This study investigates the determinants of moonlighting among agricultural workers in the Maha Vilachchiya area of Anuradhapura district, a region heavily reliant on seasonal agriculture and affected by economic volatility, unpredictable weather, and scarce modern farming resources. A structured survey of 284 agricultural workers revealed that 67% (191 individuals) engage in moonlighting. Descriptive statistics showed an average respondent age of 40.4 years, mean household size of 2.74, and average cultivated land of 4.91 acres. The average main job contributed a monthly income of Rs. 19,306, while secondary jobs provided a higher mean income of Rs. 45,104. Applying a Probit regression model, the study identified age, marital status, land ownership, land size, and second job work hours as significant predictors of moonlighting participation. Specifically, younger and married respondents were more likely to moonlight, while owning more land reduced this likelihood. Each additional cultivated acre decreased the propensity to moonlight, whereas each additional hour worked in a second job slightly increased the probability. Notably, landless workers exhibited a 7.6% greater likelihood of engaging in moonlighting compared to landowners. Model diagnostics indicated a strong fit (Pseudo R² = 0.9018), explaining over 90% of variation in moonlighting status among respondents. The study concludes that moonlighting is both a coping strategy for financial instability and a means to enhance household resilience in the face of agricultural risks. These findings support targeted interventions, such as improved access to vocational training, land policy reforms, and rural employment programs, to stabilize and strengthen agrarian livelihoods in Sri Lanka’s dry zones and comparable rural contexts