Gender participation in Indian agriculture: An ergonomic evaluation of occupational hazard of farm and allied activities

Abstract

Women play a significant and crucial role in agricultural development and allied fields. It is most unfortunate that the role of women in agriculture has not yet highlighted in India. They are still being remained as an invisible workers. Women are generally bypassed in development efforts. Inspite of all discrimination women play a vital role in agricultural development resources..It was observed that more than 75 percent women are involved in activities like winnowing, weeding, grading, threshing and cleaning of field farm operations. The physical strain of female farmers in agricultural activities seems to be too high because of heavy work tasks and relatively low VO2max. Various activities done by women in agriculture and allied field such as manually handling loads/material, threshing, transplanting, land preparation, cleaning of animal sheds, feeding the animals and disposal of cow dung involves a variety of traditional postures like sitting, squatting, stooping, sitting cum bending, standing cum bending, erect standing etc. There are various ill effects and masculoskeletal problems of such postures and in order to minimize the adverse effects of these postural discomfort and hazards, an ergonomic evaluation of occupational and farm activities need to be conducted. Opinion of women must be considered when designing tools and technologies of agricultural and allied implements and also focus on education and extension activities on women.