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Role of Rural Women in Agriculture and Their Involvement in Decision Making Process in Selected Areas of Bangladesh

Mahmuda Akter
Scientific Officer
Agricultural Economics Division, BARI ,Joydebpur, Gazipur-1701

M. A. Monayam Miah
Senior Scientific Officer
Agricultural Economics Division, BARI, Joydebpur, Gazipur-1701

M. S. Rahman
Scientific Officer
Agricultural Economics Division, BARI, Joydebpur, Gazipur-1701

S. Hossain
Chief Scientific Officer
Agricultural Economics Division, BARI Joydebpur, Gazipur-1701

Abstract/ Executive Summary:

The study was conducted at Jamalpur and Bogra district to assess the contribution of rural women in agriculture, participation on decision making process and identify the factors influencing the decision making process in farm management. In total 100 rural women were interviewed for the study during February-March 2011. Results showed that among the agricultural activities rural women’s participation was relatively higher in various post harvest activities, livestock and poultry management activities than other agricultural activities. Very little participation was observed in fish culture activities and some selected non agricultural activities like tailoring and kantha making. Most women spent maximum time in household activities (7.28 hours/day) and post harvest activities (more than 6 hours/day) in specific cropping seasons. It was also found that in most cases women’s participation in farm management decision making was lower than their male counterpart. Ordered probit model estimation showed that the probability of women’s decision making power may increase by increasing their age, education, training and participation in social organizations.

Keywords: Rural women, Agriculture, Dicision making process

Location: Jamalpur and Bogra

Start Date: 00-00-2010

End Date: 00-00-2011

Program Area: Socio-economic and Policy

Non-commodity: Performance

Objectives:

i. To know the socio-economic characteristics of rural women.

ii. To find out visible and invisible contribution of rural women in agriculture

. iii. To find out the level of participation of rural women in the process of decision making process in different areas of agriculture.

iv. To identify factors influencing their participation in the decision-making process in farm management.

Methodology:

The study was conducted at two Upazilas namely Jamalpur sadar and Shibganj under Jamalpur and Bogra districts respectively. Two unions (Kendua, Sharifpur, Bihar and Shibganj) were randomly selected from each Upazila. Again, 50 rural women engaged in agriculture activities were randomly selected from each upazila in which 25 women were from each union to form the sample size. Thus the total number of sample was100 .Data and relevant information were collected during 2010-11 cropping season using pre- tested interview schedule. The collected information included age, education, experience and size of land holding. Furthermore, eight areas of decision-making (i.e. selection of crop for planting, time of sowing, marketing etc.) were also examined in this study to determine the role of rural women in decision making process in agriculture. The collected data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. The levels of participation of women in agriculture were analyzed by studying the responses on a four point scale. The point scales were: (1) whether there is no involvement in decision making (2) whether the female farmers are only consulted; (3) whether their opinions are also considered; and (4) their involvement in taking final decision. The Ordered Probit Model was used to analyze the probability of rural women being engaged in the decision making process in agriculture.

Source of Information: Annual Research Report, Agricultural Economics Division, BARI

Article Link (Online Journal):

Funding Source:

Budget:

Total Budget (Tk.) :

Achievement/Findings:

The information obtained from the survey indicated that women were basically responsible for household activities like cleaning of houses, child care, cooking etc. In all of these activities children and old family members were also involved to some extent. In both the study areas cleaning of houses, washing utensils and clothes, cooking, childcare and teaching children were predominantly done by rural women. In case of buying necessary things from market both husband and wife (68%) was jointly involved in Jamalpur district. While 78% of the respondents of Bogra district mentioned that only husband were involved in this type of activity. In field crop production almost all the works i.e, land preparation, seeding plating weeding and harvesting were done by the husband and hired labour but different post harvest operations such as parboiling, drying were done mainly by the housewives. On the other hand threshing, winnowing and storing operations were shared by husband and wife. Marketing of produces were mostly done by husband. In homestead gardening most of the activities were carried out by the women. The respondent women opined that they significantly involved in the consultation with their husbands about crop selection, crop marketing and purchase and buy of land, selection of credit agency. The majority of the respondents have no involvement in selection Sowing time, Fertilizers types, time of fertilizer application, and number of hired labour and wage to be paid for crop production. A little difference was found between Jamalpur and Bogra districts where women in Bogra were more involved indecision making process. Age, education training, and organizational participation were found to have significant influence on the level of women participation in farm management decision making process. Negative sign of farm size implies that women in large farm did not involve in decision making about farm management.

Knowledge Management: Report/Proceedings