Level of capacity and competitiveness building of farm women in Assam through extension services and its impact on their empowerment
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Date
2015
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AAU
Abstract
Agricultural development is a complex process and a challenging one as well. To work in harmony for bringing about stable and sustainable growth in agriculture, four sub systems such as research, extension, support and client of the agricultural development process have been recognized. So far client system is concerned, it encompasses both men and women as equal partners. Unquestionably women play a significant and crucial role throughout the Third World. In addition to farm work, in which they are actively involved with men, the burdens of almost all the household chores fall on them. But despite the global consensus as to their vital role both on the farm and in the household, their importance in and contribution to agriculture are not adequately reflected in the available statistics which perhaps obscure more than they reveal. Moreover it is found that agricultural extension networks do not provide them with satisfactory services and hence there is an urgent need for a better understanding in this regard for developing effective extension and training programmes to reach farm women.
The present investigation was undertaken to assess the “Level of capacity and competitiveness building of farm women in Assam through extension services and its impact on their empowerment”, with the following objectives, i) To study the status of farm women as clientele of the agricultural extension services, ii) To find out the capacity of the agricultural extension services to provide advisory services to farm women, iii) To analyze agricultural extension programmes and the extent of farm women participation, iv) To assess the impact of agricultural extension services on empowerment of farm women and v) To determine the constraints of the agricultural extension services in reaching farm women and make suggestions thereon.
The study was conducted in three agro-climatic Zones of Assam. A multistage purposive cum random sampling design was followed. Altogether 1200 farm women were included as sample of respondents. In addition to this one hundred twenty five (125) government officials were also selected. Thus total respondents for the study were one thousand three hundred twenty five farm women. Data were collected with the help of structured interview schedule and questionnaire. The findings revealed that majority 55.08 per cent of farm women of the study areas belonged to middle age group i.e. 30-40 yrs. Large majority (91.66%) of farm women were married, 44.75 per cent belonged to general caste, 41.33 per cent were marginal farmer, 38.50 per cent had education upto middle school, 46.42 per cent farm women had mixed type of house. 46.50 per cent of the farm women’s family occupation was farming. Majority (77.89%) of farm women belonged to nuclear family, 63.95 per cent belonged to small family. Cent per cent of farm families possessed hoe and hand tools. 60.91 per cent of farm families possess two wheelers. Majority (87.08%) of farm families possess mobile followed by television (70.42%). Large majority (95.42%) of farm families possess traditional chullah. 64.09 per cent were member of one organization. 52.60 per cent of farm women belonged to low socio-economic status. More than fifty percent of farm women contributed labour independently in cleaning (55.17%), transplanting (55.08%), harvesting (54.75%) and winnowing (51.08 %). Joint participation were observed in retention of grain for consumption (68.66%) and storage of grain (64.75%). Majority of farm women independently participated in weaving (87.50%) and cooking (85.83%). 55.81 per cent had medium level of participation. On an average women spent 13-15 hours a day in farm and domestic activities. 41.67 per cent of farm women had attended training on fruits and vegetables preservation. Lack of awareness of the extension programme and lack of suitable venue for extension training /meetings were the first two most importance problems faced by farm women for attending extension training and ranked as I and II. Management of pest and diseases and production of vermin compost were the first two most important training need areas of farm women and ranked as I and II. Lack of knowledge on plant protection and lack of irrigation facility were the first two most important problems faced by farm women in cultivation of rice and ranked as I and II. Majority (61.17%) of farm women had low level knowledge on rice production technology. 53.34 per cent of farm women had medium level of attitude towards improved agricultural technology. 62.17 per cent of farm women had low level of skill on rice production technology. 51.92 per cent had medium level of achievement motivation, 54.75 per cent had medium level of economic motivation, 55.17 per cent had medium level of innovation proneness, 48.25 per cent had medium level of self-confident and 49.33 per cent had medium level of risk bearing ability.
The main objectives of state agriculture policy have not addressed women farmers as clientele of extension services. From the written document of annual report of Department of Agriculture, Assam 2012-13, reflected that women farmers were not explicitly targeted in agricultural extension. No specific gender guidelines were followed by the Department of Agriculture, Assam in operation of agricultural extension programmes. Target was not specified in organizational structure at grass root level. 44.80 per cent of the extension personnel had favourable attitude towards farm women. It was reported by the extension personnel that the farm women were mainly contacted through the group approach. There was no linkage between research and extension on gender specific problems. No special preferences were given to farm women to know whether women were receiving the extension services or not or to know their needs. Data reveals that no female administrator/supervisors were there in the Department of Agriculture, Assam. There was no fixed ratio between Senior Agricultural Development Officer (SADO) and field extension agents. Village level extension worker were in- charge of one elaka, each comprising of 8 to 10 villages. The accurate calculation of coverage of farmers on gender basis by an extension agent could not be obtained from the extension services in the study areas. Majority of field extension agents (72.22%) had attended training on improved agricultural technology. Office accommodation was available for field extension agents at block level. There was no vehicles for the extension agents for visiting the villages. From the secondary data it was observed that Rs. 250.00 lakh was allocated for Women Welfare as Gender Responsive Budget.
Majority of the agricultural topics under extension programmes targeted directly to clientele groups named as farmers. There were only three extension programmes namely food processing, fruits and vegetable preservation and capacity building of SHG were planned specifically for farm women.
Majority (64.00%) of farm women of Upper Brahmaputra Valley Zone, 52.00 per cent of Central Brahmaputra Valley Zone and 50.00 per cent of North Bank Plain Zone participated in meetings.
Very negligible percentage of farm women (2.50%) were entitled to have land ownership. Only 0.17 per cent farm women possessed farm implements in their own name. Majority 57.42 per cent of farm women had milch animal of their own. Large majority of the farm women (92.83%) borrowed money from their group account in SHG with nominal interest. Large majority of farm women (81.75%) saved money in between Rs. 1000 to 5000. Majority (66.50%) of farm women spend their income on buying household items. A large majority (90.75%) of farm women had poor access to farm publication followed by educational film (80.33%) and news paper (76.08%). 54.50 per cent of the farm women got farm information regularly through various sources predominately from husband. Majority (65.92%) of farm women had low level of leadership ability. Farm women moved from their houses for social visit, attending bank, post office and block which were rank as I, II and III. Less than fifty per cent of farm women took independent decision in crop harvesting and transporting (33.75%) followed by as maintenance of house (35.25%) and buying food items for family consumption (34.17%). 48.91 per cent farm women had medium level of participation in decision making.
Coverage of too many target groups by one agent was the first major constraint faced by the village level extension workers and agriculture development officers. Constraints faced by administrator and Senior Agriculture Development Officer were lack of technology suitable for women farmers, lack of knowledge in understanding problems and needs of farm women, lack of essential teaching and communication equipment. Majority of respondents (86.40%) suggested for increasing research works to produce suitable technologies that would improve the farming operations normally done by women.