The Dynamics and Status of Feminisation in Indian Agriculture
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.25175/jrd/2019/v38/i2/146773Keywords:
Feminisation of Agriculture, Unpaid Family Worker, Ownership Rights, Productivity, Poverty.Abstract
This paper tries to explore the extent and dimension of the rising phenomenon of feminisation in Indian agriculture using unit level NSSO data (70th round) and Agriculture Census for 2005-06, 2010-11. The paper revolves around the trend of women participation in agriculture, determinant factors behind increased incidence of feminisation on farms, low recognition and symbiotic association between property rights, productivity and poverty. As per NSSO estimates, 49.79 per cent females in the working age (15-49) operated land during 2013 while their share has grown marginally i.e., 1.08 per cent from 2005 to 2011. This rising trend of feminisation in terms of operated holders has been predominant only in few States, viz. Meghalaya, Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan, Odisha and Uttarakhand, and has been more significant in case of small/marginal landholdings. The data analysis further concluded that majority of the females who operated land served merely as unpaid family worker (28.27 per cent), depicting that their contribution is significant but they are not being acknowledged accordingly. Lack of recognition, ownership rights, socio-economic set-up and certain other factors restrict them in achieving high productivity at farm level. The study confirms that assuring property rights to women farmers would aid in increasing productivity and reduce poverty level. Considering policy recommendations, it suggests for asset control to women and promoting cooperative farming which may improvise socio-economic conditions and generate higher farming returns.Downloads
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
References
Agarwal, B. (1994), "Gender and Command over Property: A Critical Gap in Economic Analysis and Policy in South Asia," World Development, Elsevier Science, Vol. 22, Issue 10, pp. 1455-78.
Agarwal, B. (2003), "Gender and Land Rights Revisited: Exploring New Prospects via the State, Family and Market," Journal of Agrarian Change (UK), Vol. 3, No. 1&2, pp. 184-224
Agarwal, B. (2010), "Rethinking Agricultural Production Collectivities," Economic and Political Weekly Vol. 45, No. 09
Agrawal, R., D. Rao and G. P. Joshi (2013), Feminisation of Indian Agriculture: Issues and Challenges, Madhya Pradesh Journal of Social Sciences, Vol. 18, No.1, Retrieved from https://www.questia.com/library/journal/1G1-412800304/feminisation-of-indian-agriculture-issues-and-challenges
Abraham, V. (2013), Missing Labour Force or De-Feminisation of Labour Force in India, Working paper 452, Centre for Development Studies, Retrieved from: http://cds.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/wp452.pdf
All India Democratic Women's Association (AIDWA), (2003), Expanding Dimensions of Dowry, New Delhi.
Bagchi, J. (2005), The Changing Status of Women in West Bengal 1997-2000: The Challenge Ahead, Sage Publications, India
Brown, J and S. D. Chowdhary (2002), "Women's Land Rights in West Bengal: A Field Study," RDI Reports on Foreign Aid and Development #116, Rural Development Institute, Available at http://www.landesa.org/wpcontent/uploads/2011/01/RDI_116.pdf
Chowdhary, P. (2009), Gender Discrimination in Land Ownership, Land Reforms in India, Vol. 11, Sage Publications, New Delhi.
Chowdhury, A. and J. K. Sundaram (2011), Poor Poverty: The Impoverishment of Analysis, Measurement and Policies, Bloomsbury Publication; London, United Kingdom
Chandy, A. (1995), A Community in Peril: Christian Women’'s Struggle for Equal Inheritance, New Delhi: Indian Social Institute.
Das, L (2015), Work Participation of Women in Agriculture in Odisha, IOSR Journal of Humanities and Social Science (IOSR-JHSS), Vol. 20, Issue 7, pp 66-78
Deb, S. (2011), Economic Reforms and Farms Feminization in Assam-A Conundrum or Reality, Research Articles, NIT, Silchar.
Devi, S, N. Kunwar and S. Kumari (2016), "Inhibiting Factors Responsible Land and Property Ownership of Farm Women," International Journal of Advanced Research, Vol. 4, Issue 5
Dunlop, J and Velkoff, V. A. (1999), Women and the Economy in India, International Programs Centre, US Census Bureau, The Official Statistics.
Duvvury, N. (1989), Women in Agriculture A Review of the Indian Agriculture, Economic and Political Weekly, Vol.24, Issue No.43
FAO (2012), Agricultural Cooperatives and Gender Equality, International Year of Cooperatives Issue Brief Series, Rome, Italy
Garikipati, S (2006), Feminization of Agricultural Labour and Women's Domestic Status: Evidence from Labour Households in India, Research Paper Series, No. 30, University of Liverpool Management School, Great Britain.
Ghosh, M. and A.Ghosh (2014), Analysis of Women Participation in Indian Agriculture, IOSR Journal Of Humanities and Social Science, Vol. 19, Issue 5, Retrieved from http://iosrjournals.org/iosr-jhss/papers/Vol19-issue5/Version-4/A019540106.pdf
Goswami, C. (2013), Female Agricultural Workers in Assam: A Case Study of Darrang District, International Journal of Scientific and Research Publications, Vol. 3, Issue 2, Retrieved from : http://www.ijsrp.org/research-paper0213/ijsrp-p14110.pdf
ICAR (2012), Empowering Women in Agriculture, Chapter 16, DARE/ICAR Annual Report and also available at http://www.icar.org.in/files/reports/icar-dare-annual-reports/2011-12/gender-issues-AR-2011-12.pdf
Kadoth, P. (2006), "Producing a Rationale for Dowry? Gender in the Negotiation of Exchange at Marriage in Kerala, South India, Working paper 16, Asia Research Centre, LSE. London
Kelkar, G. (2013), "The Fog of Entitlement: Women and Land in India," Paper Presented at Annual World Bank Conference on Land and Poverty, Washington D.C, U.S.A. Retrieved from: http://www.landesa.org/wp-content/uploads/The-Fog-of-Entitlement-Women-and-Land-in-India-261-Kelkar.pdf
Khan, M. K. (2013), "Women in Agriculture of Assam", The International Journal of Engineering and Science, Vol. 2, Issue 3, Retrieved from http://www.theijes.com/papers/v2-i3/D023019021.pdf
Landesa (2012), Women’s Secure Rights to Land Benefits, Barriers, and Best Practices, Issue Brief, Retrieved from http://www.landesa.org/wp-content/uploads/Landesa-Women-and-Land-Issue-Brief.pdf
Lal, R. Khurana, A. (2011), Gender Issues: The Role of Women in Agriculture Sector, Zenith International Journal of Business Economics and Management Research, Vol. 1, Issue 1
Nayak, S. (2016), "Whither Women-A Shift from Endowment to Empowerment," Edupedia Publications, New Delhi
Oxfam (2013), "When Women Farm India’s Land: How to Increase Land Ownership," Policy Brief No.8, India, Retrieved from https://www.oxfamindia.org/sites/default/files/Policy%20Brief%20No%208-land%20rights.pdf
Pandey, B. (2009), "Women’s Alienation Land Less Development," Friedrich Ebert Stiftung, India, Retrieved from http://library.fes.de/pdf-files/bueros/indien/07177.pdf
Prakash, D. (2003), "Rural Women and Food Security," Rural Development and Management Centre, New Delhi, India
Rawal, V. Saha, P (2015), "Women’s Employment in India: What do Recent NSS Surveys of Employment and Unemployment Show?," Statistics on Indian Economy and Society, Retrieved from http://archive.indianstatistics.org/misc/women_work.pdf
Ramesh, A. S. and Madhavi, C. (2009), "Occupational Stress among Farming People," Journal of Agriculture Sciences, [Vol. 4, No.3]
Samanta, R. S. (1995), "Women in Agriculture: Perspective, Issues and Experiences," M.D. Publications, New Delhi
Sinha, S. (2011), "Nature and Trends of Female Unpaid Work in India," Value of Work: Updates on Old Issues, Inter-Disciplinary Press, Oxford, UK.
Srivastava, N and Srivastava, R. (2009), "Women, Work and Employment Outcomes in Rural India," Paper Presented at the FAO-IFAD-ILO Workshop on Gaps, Trends and Current Research in Gender Dimensions of Agricultural and Rural Employment: Differentiated Pathways out of Poverty, Retrieved from http://www.fao-ilo.org/fileadmin/user_upload/fao_ilo/pdf/Papers/17_March/Srivastava_Final.pdf
Siddiqui M. Z, Dutt, K. Lockie, S. Pritchard B. (2015), "Reconsidering Women’s Work in Rural India," Analysis of NSSO Data, 2004–05 and 2011–12, Economic and Political Weekly, Vol.24, Issue 43.
Tenaw, S. Islam, K. M., Parviainen. T (2009), "Effects of Land Tenure and Property Rights on Agricultural Productivity in Ethiopia, Namibia and Bangladesh," Discussion Paper No.33, Department of Economics and Management, University of Helsinki, Retrieved from http://www.fao.org/fileadmin/user_upload/fsn/docs/HLPE/Discussion_Paper_33.pdf
Thorner, A. (2002), "Land, Labour and Rights," Anthem Press, London.
