Impact of drudgery reduction on farm women

Transstellar Journals, 2019

The rural women play a significant role in agriculture and other agro based activities. The daily work schedule of rural women is very demanding and arduous. It is estimated that women on an average work for about 8-9 hours/day in agricultural operations like weeding, transplanting, harvesting, threshing and storage etc. and an average of4 hours in household activities. To estimate the drudgery 30 farm women was selected of age range 30 years to 40 years. There anthropometric measurements were calculated and the average height, weight and body mass index was 151.5 cm, 50.5 kg and 23.4 respectively. The amount of drudgery while performing agricultural activities traditionally and manually was studied and the results indicates that the amount of energy spent by the farm women while performing selected activities with the improved technologies was low when compared to the traditional methods. It was also found that with the help of modified technology, the work output and work efficiency increased. The rate of drudgery while weeding and transplanting was moderate in term of perceived rate of exertion as compared to be heavy in case of traditional method.

International Journal of Home Science

An investigation was designed to know the involvement of rural women in selected farm and nonfarm activities. The study was conducted in eight villages of Jorhat subdivision and Titabor subdivision of Jorhat district of Assam. The total respondents included in the study were 120. Personal Interview method was used for data collection. Statistical techniques viz., frequency, percentage, mean, standard error, standard deviation and coefficient of correlation were used for analyzing the data. The findings revealed that cent percent of rural women always involved in farm activities such as transplanting, harvesting and winnowing followed by weeding(84.83%), care and maintenance of cattle (77.50%), cleaning of cattle shed (71.66%), cleaning of poultry shed (51.66%),care and maintenance of poultry (50.00%), marketing of farm produce (35.00%),storage of grain (19.16%) and 0.83 per cent nursery raising and non farm activities like sweet and snack preparation (94.16%), weaving (60.00%), pickle making (55.00%) and marketing of non farm produce (14.16%) respectively. Introduction Rural poverty is one of the important characteristics of India and nearly 45 percent of rural people are below the poverty line. Most of them are just surviving with their day-today earnings. Rural women are the most vulnerable group affected by poverty. They are the centers of the family. Though the role of women is very important and crucial in an economy, yet they are the invisible workers and leads a tough life. These women are also actively engaged in all activities right from the household chores to the field works. Rural women are half of India's demographic dividend; if they are given the right tools and community support, they can not only become financially independent but also become efficient engines that fuel India's future growth. Rural women are resourceful economic agents who contribute to the income of families and the growth of communities in a multitude of ways. They work as entrepreneurs, as farm and nonfarm laborers, in family businesses, for others and as self-employed; while they take on a disproportionate share of unpaid work at home. However, their contribution is limited by unequal access to resources as well as persistent discrimination and gender norms which are needed to be addressed to allow the realization of their full potential. Rural women are induced to contribute to farm and nonfarm activities by push and pull factors. The push factors mainly characterize financial demands. These women from the poorest families are pushed into farm and nonfarm activities due to severe economic necessity. A family with lower income is more likely to increase their family income by involving female members in farm and nonfarm activities. On the other hand, a family with a high income might reduce the necessity of augmenting income by involving women in the labor force. The pull factors also attract rural women for taking part in farm and nonfarm activities. Neoclassical economists consider education to be one of the key determinants of women's entering into the labor market. The higher the education level, the greater is women's involvement in the labor market.

Agro-Economist, 2015

In India, the typical work of the female agricultural labourer or cultivator is limited to less skilled jobs, such as sowing, transplanting, weeding and harvesting, that often fit well within the framework of domestic life and child-rearing. The nature and extent of women's involvement in agriculture, no doubt, varies greatly from region to region. A study has been conducted in R.S. Pura block of Jammu district with an aim to know the role and extent of women involvement in decision making in agriculture and constraints they faced while performing the agriculture activities. A sample of 50 women farmers selected from the two villages namely Raipur and Badyalbrahmna of R.S Pura and was interviewed. The results of the study revealed that most of the respondents (64%) get up early in the morning to perform the dual responsibility of domestic work and outside in the fields. About 56% of the respondents work for 5-7 hours and more in the farm activities and stated that agriculture is their primary occupation. An average of 89% of women takes part in almost every agriculture activities from seed cleaning to harvesting and post harvesting of produce. Regarding decision, only 14% provide input in almost every productive decision related to farms. About 90% of women don't have autonomy in any productive decisions, 96% of the respondents don't own land or any other assets. Majority (88%) of respondents do not purchase or sale of any other assets. Majority (84%) of the respondents felt that they find difficulty in carrying out farm operations. About (75%) women told that their main problem is related to health like headache, backache, fatigue and restlessness. 74% responded that their social life is disturbed due to heavy work both in farms and domestic work and they are not able to go often to their friends and relatives. About 64% of the women not enjoying agriculture work and find it very hectic and need some type of women friendly equipments.

2018

The present study was conducted in the twelve randomly selected villages of Dantiwada Taluka on 160 farm women selected by proportionate random sampling procedure. Socioeconomic characteristics of respondents were studied as independent variables, whereas, awareness and adoption level of drudgery reducing tools and equipment were studied as dependent variables. An interview schedule was developed, validity of which was checked by jury of experts. Data were collected by personal interview technique. Data on drudgery perceived by farm women during performance of farming and allied activities were collected on three-point scales i.e., most drudgery prone, moderately drudgery prone and least drudgery prone and were scored as 3, 2 and 1 respectively. Data on awareness level about drudgery reducing tools were collected on three-point scale i.e., fully aware, somewhat aware and not aware and scored as, 3, 2 and 1, respectively. Similarly, data on adoption level were collected on three-point scales i.e., always used, sometime used and never used which were scored as, 3, 2 and 1

The Journal of Peasant Studies, 2021

Drawing on the findings of an extensive questionnaire-based survey conducted in two Indian states of West Bengal and Gujarat, this paper investigates whether the concentration of women's labour contributions to agriculture has improved their autonomy in decision-making. It shows that women's labour burdens have increased without associated benefits, and raises the question of the invisibility of the 'preparatory work' that women do on and off the farm to support agriculture. The findings lead to the conclusion that for farming in India to thrive and ensure fulfilling lives for women farmers, the policymakers need to address rural women's discontent.

Work

Inventory of all agricultural tasks depicted land preparation by women farmers as one of the most drudgery prone task with high energy cost, thereby, making it amenable to ergonomic interventions in terms of improved technologies (clod breaker, improved plough/'danella') to relieve women from high energy demands, time spent and associated drudgery. The study was conducted in two hill states of India viz. Himachal Pradesh (35 villages and 900 representative samples) and Uttrakhand (10 villages and 900 representative samples). Experimental data were conducted on representative sub sample of 60 hill farm women of both the states to assess physiological workload and musculo-skeletal problems both while working with traditional tools along with improved tools by employing selected parameters viz. physical fitness level, physiological parameters etc. The results showed that heart rate values were more than acceptable limits for task performed with the traditional tools as compared with improved tools. Significant reduction in the heart rate was observed while working with improved tools. Analysis of MSDs showed that the postural stress and severity of pain in various body parts was reduced by adopting new technology. Hence, the use of improved land preparation tools is recommended over the existing ones for drudgery reduction.

Bhartiya Krishi Anusandhan Patrika, Volume 38 Issue 2: 188-190 (June 2023)

Background: Agriculture is the process of producing food, feed, fiber and many other desired products by the cultivation of certain plants. The practice of agriculture is also known as "farming". Agricultural technology refers to technology for the production of machines used on a farm to help with farming. Agricultural machineries have been designed for practically every stage of the agricultural process. They include machines for tilling the soil, planting seeds, irrigating the land, cultivating crops, protecting them from pests and weeds, harvesting, threshing grain, livestock feeding and sorting and packaging the products. Technology has played a big role in developing the agricultural industry. And women play major role in farming activities, which constitute nearly 43% of the world's agricultural labor force, which rises up to 70% in some countries. But they do not have adequate awareness and access to improved technologies to reduce their drudgery and improve productivity, unlike men. Hence the present study has been conducted to make a positive impact by empowering them and bring awareness. Methods: In this research study sample were selected on the basis of front line demonstration method to introduce the set of 7 drudgery reducing tools i.e. Paddy thresher, Twin wheel hoe, Serrated sickle, Vegetable collection bag, milking stand cum stool, stalk puller, Rack, were given to the farm women for exposure. These implements were given to 5 self help group of 50 farm women and data were collected from them regarding the awareness about the technologies before and after the front line Demonstration programmes. Result: Adoption levels were assessed after completion of a crop season. It was found that partial awareness was there about the improved equipment before training and awareness was in the random selected group after the training programs. About 80 per cent of the farm women have adopted the given technologies. This study can helpful for promotion of technology in gender perspective towards the challenges of farm women would help in reducing drudgery and occupational health problems of women workers in agriculture.

isara solutions, 2020

In India in 2009, 94% of the female agricultural labour force in crop cultivation was in cereal production, while 1.4% worked in vegetable production, and 3.72% were engaged in fruits, nuts, beverages, and spice crops. It shows the dominance of women farming workers in agriculture sector in India. These voices need to be heard at both the policy and implementation levels if it is to realize the dream of a progressive India. Women farmers in India perform most of the big farming jobs, from sowing to harvesting, yet their access to resources is less than their male counterparts. Despite their dominance of the labour force women in India still face extreme disadvantage in terms of pay, land rights, and representation in local farmer’s organizations. This study was based on secondary data; an attempt has been made to comprehensively understand the development effort to rebuild the rural life and livelihood on the basis of various secondary data. The present research paper throws lights on drudgery experience in various activities performed by farm women in cotton crop production activities and tries to find out the health hazards encountered while performing farm operation in cotton crop production from the ample available review of literature.

Bhartiya Krishi Anusandhan Patrika

Women play substantial roles in farming systems and are vigorously involved in farm and livestock management, but their contribution in farming systems is generally overlooked and undervalued which has reflected them as invisible workers. The farm women of are engaged in labour intensive, time consuming, arduous, monotonous, repetitive, manual operations resulting in fatigue and drudgery. Considering the issue as imperative, a survey was conducted in three districts of Western plain zone of Uttar Pradesh i.e Meerut and Saharanpur and Bulandshahar in the year 2015-2016. The total sample comprises a random sample of 180 households i.e. (3 District x 3 blocks/district x 2 villages/ block x 10 households) using a stratified sampling frame. A total of 180 households were selected for the study. Crop + Horticulture (vegetables) + Dairy (FS­3­) and Horticulture + Crop + Dairy (FS4) can be tagged as gender sensitive farming systems due to the higher amount of drudgery prone feminine farm op...