Role of women in rice based cropping system of Odisha: potential constraints and opportunities

Abstract

Agriculture is an important sector and a major indicator of the state's economic status. The role of rural women in agriculture and allied operations is highly significant in Odisha. They are actively participating in all range of agricultural activities including pre-harvesting, post-harvesting and storage. Their knowledge, labour and skill produce not only food and income for their families, but contribute to global food stocks. But still their hard work remains unrecognised. Long standing hurdles faced by rural women in terms of limited access to productive resources (Land, Credit, Inputs, New technologies, Transport, Extension Services, Storage, Training and Technical Assistance) prevent them from adopting new technologies and thus they remain confined in their traditional packages of practices in rice-based cropping system. In rice-based cropping systems, except for seedbed and land preparation, fertilizer spraying, pesticide application and irrigating the fields, women dominate rice operations. Despite women’s important contributions in farming and livelihoods, women have less access than men to knowledge and skills, decision making, resources, productive assets, including land, credit, agricultural extension services, agricultural inputs like improved seeds, fertilisers and small equipment/light machinery etc. Development of a nation cannot take place without establishing gender equality. Therefore, it is necessary to study the condition of farm women to assess their contribution and the difficulty they face in agricultural sector. Providing due recognition to women’s work and providing them access to the resources and equip them with modern technologies will solve many of our problems related to food and nutrition.