Pastoralism is practised by 58 percent of households as a primary occupation and accounts for 15 to 95 percent of their net income.
The sale of milk and milk products generates the highest average annual net income of ₹ 414,070/HH as compared to all other occupations and contributes to 82 percent to the economy of the Banni region.
Those who sell livestock earn additional net returns of ₹ 104,050/household.
Charcoal production done from using the highly invasive plant Prosopis juliflora growing aggressively in the grasslands is the second most important occupation
in the region. It employs 28 percent and 48 percent of households as primary and secondary occupations respectively and contributes ₹ 13,500/- to 360,000/- to the households’ annual income (around 1/9th of the incomes generated from the sale of milk and milk products).
Selling of a few Banni buffaloes or Kankrej bullocks is also practised by some pastoralists every year and it is a primary occupation for only 2 percent of families and a secondary occupation for 39 percent of households.
Sheep and goat rearing are practised by 22 percent of households and it is the primary occupation for only 2 percent of households. Honey and gum collection are practised by the Koli community in the region as an additional income-generating activity during a few months of the year and the incomes generated are very low.
Embroidery is practised by the women in each Muslim and Hindu Meghwal household, but is not an economic activity for all households. Household and hired labour are common livelihood options practised in the Banni grasslands and most of this labour is generated through engagement in the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MNREGA) and agricultural and non-agricultural labour during migration outside the Banni grasslands.
The annual net income generated through leather work that is mainly practised by the Meghwal community is ₹ 106,913/household and is higher than charcoal production.

The sale of milk and milk products generates the highest average annual net income of ₹ 414,070/HH as compared to all other occupations and contributes to 82 percent to the economy of the Banni region.

Charcoal production done from using the highly invasive plant Prosopis juliflora growing aggressively in the grasslands is the second most important occupation

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