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Livelihood Diversification Pursued by Rural Women Farmer: the Case of Bangladesh

P. K. Mittra
Department of Basic Science (Agricultural Extension), Patuakhali Science and Technology University, Khanpura, Babugonj, Barishal Campus, Bangladesh

A. Habiba
Bangladesh Krishi Bank, Bangladesh

M. Sultana
Department of Poultry Science, Patuakhali Science and Technology University, Khanpura, Babugonj, Barishal Campus, Bangladesh

M. G. R. Akanda
Department of Agricultural Extension and Rural Development, Patuakhali Science and Technology University, Dumki, Patuakhali, Bangladesh

Abstract/ Executive Summary:

The purposes of this study were to determine the extent and nature of livelihood diversification of the rural women and also to explore relationships of 13 selected characteristics of the rural women with their Livelihood diversification. The study was conducted at Bakergonj upazilla of Barishal district. There were a total of 1200 rural women farmers in the 5 villages constituted the population of the study, out of which 10 percent of the total rural women farmers were selected through simple random technique for retrieving the overall idea about livelihood diversification. This gave a sample size of 120 farmers. Data were collected by the researchers themselves with the help of pre-tested interview schedule during 20 September 2012 to 30 October 2012. Findings of the study indicated that the livelihood diversification scores of the respondents ranged from 0.2 to 0.78 with average being 0.41. It is found that more than half of the (54.2 percent) of the farmers had medium level of livelihood diversification compared to 18 percent having low livelihood diversification and 27.5 percent had high livelihood. Out of 13 selected characteristics of the rural women seven of those viz. education, family education, income generating experience, household annual income, communication exposure, organizational participation, attitude towards livelihood diversification had positive significant relationship with livelihood diversification.

Keywords: Livelihood, Diversification, Rural Women, Farmer

Location: Bakergong upazila of Barishal district, Bangladesh

Start Date: 20-09-2012

End Date: 30-10-2012

Program Area: Resource Development and Management

Non-commodity: Livelihood, Income generation

Objectives:

The following specific objectives were set forth in order to i) to what extent livelihood diversification are been pursued by rural women? ii) What are the characteristics of the rural women related with their livelihood diversification? and iii) to determine the relationship between livelihood diversification and selected characteristics of the rural women.

Methodology:

The study was conducted at Bakergong upazila of Barishal district where a scope of livelihood diversification exists to be pursued as the study was concerned with the livelihood diversification of the rural womens. All the farm household heads except the absentees of Bakergong upazila constituted the population of the study. By simple random method, 120 respondents were selected from the selected villages. An interview schedule was developed to be used as a tool for data collection. Two types of data viz., primary and secondary data were collected. The primary data was collected through personal interview from the respondent. The secondary data was procured from various publications, magazines, relevant text books and survey materials. And the collected data from the respondents were scored, tabulated and analyzed. Analytical Technique: Livelihood diversification pursued by the rural women farmers was taken as the dependent variable of the study. Simpson diversification index (SDI) was used to measure the livelihood of the farmers. Diversification index was measured with the help of Simpson index of diversity. The Simpson index of diversity is defined as: SID=1-∑ Pi². Where Pi as the proportion of income coming from source i. The value of SID always falls between 0 and 1. If there is just one source of income, Pi=1, so SID=0. As the number of sources increases, the shares (Pi) decline, as does the some of the squared shares, so that SID approaches to 1. If there are k sources of income, then SID falls between 1-1/k. Accordingly farmers with most diversified income would have the largest SID, and less diversified incomes are associated with the smallest SID. For least diversified farmers (i.e. those depending on a single income source) SID takes on its minimum value of 0. The upper limit SID is „1? which depends on the number of income sources available and their shares. The higher the number of income sources as well as more evenly distributed the income shares, the higher the value of SID. The Simson Index of Diversity is affected both by the number of income sources as well as by the distribution of income between different sources (balance). The more uniformly distributed is the income from each source, the SID approaches to 1. Data were collected following face to face interviewing using pre-tested interview schedule. Statistical measures like number, range, percent, mean, standard deviation and Pearson?s correlation coefficient (r) analysis were utilized both for data evaluation and hypotheses testing by using SPSS computer program.

Source of Information: http://journal.safebd.org/index.php/jafe; Vol 2 No 1 March 2021 Pages 93-96 e-ISSN 2708-5694

Article Link (Online Journal): http://doi.org/10.47440/JAFE.2021.2116

Funding Source:

Total Budget (Tk.) :

Achievement/Findings:

This study has shown that non-farm income plays a very important role in augmenting farm-income as almost threequarters of the respondents adopted a combination of farm and nonfarm strategy. This is an indication that farming alone is not an adequate source of income for the rural households. Therefore, promoting non-farm employment may be a good strategy for supplementing the income of farmers as well as sustaining equitable rural growth. This could be achieved through training programs directed towards training farmers in skills that can be used in nonfarm jobs in their vicinity as well as improvements in infrastructure, education and financial markets. Specifically, engagement in non-farm activities, apart from reducing income uncertainties and providing a source of liquidity in areas where credit is constrained, could increase agricultural productivity as it provides the resources necessary for investment in advanced agricultural technologies. The adoption of better technology is expected to be highly profitable and will encourage the transition from traditional to modern agriculture. Therefore, there is a need for the government to formulate policies to increase the availability of non- farm jobs in the rural areas. Further, the private sector should be encouraged to create income-generating activities in the rural areas to enhance their livelihood diversification activities and ultimately improve their living standard. Proper action should be taken to ensure diversify livelihood portfolio in farm and non-farm sectors. Traditional norm may act as impediment to the diversify livelihood portfolio. So the rural women farmers should be brought under strong motivational programs, which will help them come out of the traditional norms to properly practice livelihood diversification. Existing functional educational programmes for the farmers should be strengthened. This can be implemented through the involvement of local GOs and NGOs and the participation of the women farmers. Priority should be given by the concerned authorities for enhancing family education of the farmers through formal, non-formal training. The attitude toward livelihood diversification of a farmer enables one to enhance livelihood diversification. A farmer with favourable attitude easily adopt new diversified livelihood portfolio. It is, therefore, recommended that encouraging them to take part more in group discussions, training programmes, organizational participation etc. and increasing their exposures to various communication media so that attitude of the rural women farmers become favourable.

Knowledge Management: Journal