The focus of the study was to analyse the existing livelihood systems and to identify constraints in securing required livelihood by the sample respondents in Chitradurga district of Karnataka state. The purposive sampling technique was employed to select 160 respondents comprising equal number of landless, marginal, small and medium farmers across the study area. The primary data required for the study was obtained through personal interview method using pre-tested schedule prepared for the purpose. The techniques of Tabular analysis and Garrett ranking test were employed. The result of the study revealed that the average size of holding was 5.22 acre. The literacy was found to be 65 per cent. Among various livelihood systems, one fourth of the respondents (25.63%) were found to engaged in wage earning followed by Crop production + livestock + wage earning (23.75%). More than one-third (38.13%) of the respondents were preferred to work in mines as supervisors, truck drivers and labours as their alternative livelihood option. The accessibility to basic necessities was the major problem expressed by most of the respondents in the study area.