INVOLVEMENT OF RURAL WOMEN IN NON-TIMBER FOREST PRODUCT (NTFP) ACTIVITIES
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Date
2003
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University of Agricultural Science, Dharwad
Abstract
"The present study was conducted in the year 2002-2003 in
Dharwad taluk with a sample size of 150 rural women engaged in NTFP
activities and collected data on dependency on NTFPs, socio-economic
characteristics, participation and time spent pattern in the collection,
processing, storage, preservation, marketing and income earned by
NTFPs, constraints faced and suggestions for improvement of NTFP
activities with the help of pre-tested structured schedule.
The results of the study revealed that majority of the rural women
were middle age, married, illiterates, farm labourers, landless, belonged
to medium income group, backward caste, nuclear family with medium
family size, living in mixed type of house and contact urban places once
in a week. Majority of the rural women had low level of mass media
participation, extension contact and high level of organisational
participation.
Majority of the rural women (42.00%) were dependent on Muttala
leaves (Butea monosperma) followed by fuelwood (20.67%), pongamia
seeds (19.33%) and edible gum (17.33%).
Highest participation was noticed in the processing, storage,
preservation and marketing of NTFP than the NTFP collection. Women
spent maximum time of 251.17 minutes per day and 94.00 days in a year
in the collection of forest produce.
Maximum income obtained from baskets per season was
(Rs. 9150/-) followed by fuelwood (Rs.5145/-), grassbrooms (Rs.2955/-)
and leaf meal plates (Rs.2880/-).
Local and nearby city markets were the main marketing place
whereas agents, wholesalers and selling on their own were found to be
the prominent marketing channels.
Major constraints faced by the rural women were lack of proper
marketing system (96.00%) and depletion of flora (91.33%). Important
suggestions were to avoid exploitation by middlemen (93.33%),
implementation of programmes for forest regeneration and adequate
trainings/demonstrations to develop value added products."
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