Mitigating drudgery for gender equity and livelihood security in agri-horti cropping system model.

Abstract

A study was undertaken in a cluster comprising of two villages viz. Sankilo and Tentalpur under Nischintakoili block of Cuttack district of Odisha to analyze the drudgery of women farmers in the selected Agri-Horti cropping system model. Data were collected to study the status of farm mechanization and prevalence of drudgery and occupational health hazards among women farmers. The perceived rate of exertion by farm women in different activities in Agri-Horti cropping system model was studied by using Borg scale (Rating 1-10). It was found that more than 96 per cent reported an exertion range 4-7 indicated hard work in case of sowing, seed treatment, nursery raising, drying and cleaning, storing. Whereas more than 95 per cent reported exertion range of 6-9 indicated really hard work in case of uprooting, thinning, weeding, ridge making, transplanting, harvesting, threshing and winnowing. To reduce the cost of production, drudgery of farm women and in ensuring effective farm operational practices, extensive trainingcum- demonstration programmes were conducted in which more than 30 different types of women friendly drudgery reducing farm tools and implements for Agri-Horti cropping system model were introduced to farm women. The effectiveness of demonstrated drudgery reducing farm tools and implements were assessed by using Drudgery Assessment Module. Mechanization adopted by farm women in Agri-Horti cropping system model helped in reducing about 50-60 per cent of the cost of production. Thus, the farmwomen can save Rs. 15,300/ha i.e. about 43.71 per cent on the labour cost and a lot of time. The women friendly drudgery reducing farm tools improved the work efficiency, work output and decreased drudgery and health hazards of the farm women. The scientific cultivation of crops by using farm mechanization in Agri-Horti cropping System Model is presently widely adopted among the farm women and enabled them in up-scaling their livelihoods thereby improving their socio-economic conditions, which aided in promoting empowerment of farm women of the region.