Poverty levels are higher in rural areas of Bangladesh and the agricultural sector is facing new challenges such as climate shocks, land fragmentation and declining soil fertility. As a result, rural economies are increasingly moving towards non-farm employment – including small businesses, wage employment, and informal labour. Md. Moniruzzaman at the Department of Economics, University of Dhaka will examine how non-farm sector work can complement agricultural incomes, mitigate risks associated with agricultural shocks and shape household poverty dynamics. He will analyse panel data from the Bangladesh Integrated Household Survey (BIHS) and the Mahabub Hossain Panel Data (MHPD) to identify the contribution of different sectors to poverty reduction and how shocks interact with the transition to these activities, comparing male and female-headed households and exploring gendered income disparities. The study will inform targeted policies for rural poverty alleviation through non-farm employment, including strategies for integrating women into non-farm sectors and supporting them through tailored interventions and resilience-building programs.