Participation of tribal farmwomen in livestock management activities in Dima Hasao District of Assam
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Date
2022-09
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College of Veterinary Science, Assam Agricultural University, Khanapara Campus
Abstract
There are diverse ways in which livestock contributes to the household food and
nutrition and rural women in India plays a crucial role in managing livestock. India has a long
history of involving women in raising of livestock because domestic animals have long been
an essential component of the family farming system. Studies on varied tasks shouldered by
the rural women in livestock management are of utmost relevance in highlighting their
contributions at the family level. For the planners, decision-makers and extension workers
such studied serve as the baseline for initiating projects for rural development. With this
reality in mind, the current study on the "Participation of Tribal Farm Women in Livestock
Management Activities in Dima Hasao District of Assam" carried out.The study was
conducted in two selected blocks of the Dima Hasao district i.e., Diyungbra ITDP Block and
Jatinga Valley Development Block which were purposively selected in keeping adherence
with the objectivesto explore a) The socio-economic profile of the respondents in the study
area, b) The extent of involvement of womenfolk in livestock management activities in the
study area, c) The extent of participation of women in decision making process in livestock
management activities, and d) The relationship between extent of involvement and decision
making of womenfolk in livestock management activities. As such, 60 respondents or tribal
women from each block i.e., Diyungbra ITDP Block and Jatinga Valley Development Block
were selected snow ball sampling making the total sample size 120. A pretested, reliable, and
valid interview schedule was used for data collection. The data collected were analyzed using
IBM SPSS Statistics version 24.Majority of the tribal women livestock farmers i.e. 68.33 per
cent were in middle age category and the average age was found to be 41.35 years. 96.67 per
cent of respondents were married while only 2.50 percent were widows and 0.83 per cent
were unmarried.It was observed that 81.67 per cent farm womenresided as nuclear family
while 18.33 per cent as a joint family. Majority of respondents inDiyungbra ITDP Block i.e.
81.67 per cent and Jatinga Valley Development Block 76.67 per cent had medium family size
with 3-6 numbers. Majority (35.00 per cent) of the respondents were engaged in Agriculture
+ Animal husbandry + Weaving in Diyungbra ITDP Block and 33.33 per cent were engaged
in Agriculture + Animal husbandry + Government employed in Jatinga Valley Development
Block. It was found that most respondents inDiyungbra ITDP Block andJatinga Valley
Development Block i.e., 63.33 per cent and50.00 per cent had medium educational
qualification. The majority of respondents in both the blocks i.e. 81.67 per cent and 83.33 per
cent had medium-sized herd. The majority of respondents in both the blocks i.e. 75.00 per
cent and 73.33 per cent had a medium level of social participation. Most respondents in
Diyungbra ITDP Block and Jatinga Valley Development Block showed low level of
extension contact, i.e., 46.67 per cent and 48.33 per cent respectively. Majority of the
respondents in Diyungbra ITDP Block, i.e., 93.33 per cent and 90.00 per cent in Jatinga
Valley Development Block did not receive any training on livestock management. Mass
media exposure in both the blocks was of medium level with 45.00 per cent respondents in
Diyungbra ITDP Block and 70.00 per cent in Jatinga Valley Development Block.It was
observed that in Diyungbra ITDP Block and Jatinga Valley Development Block most
respondentsi.e.,48.33 per cent and58.33 per cent had low farm land holding. The majority of
respondents in Diyungbra ITDP Block and Jatinga Valley Development Block i.e., 63.33 per
cent and 71.67 per cent had medium total land holding. It was reflected in the study that most
respondents in Diyungbra ITDP Block and Jatinga Valley Development Block had medium
level of income from livestock with an average of Rs. 25983.33/year. Total annual income of
respondents in Diyungbra ITDP Block and Jatinga Valley Development Block was of
medium level with an average of Rs. 151166.67. Majority of the respondents i.e., 41.67 per
cent faced a medium level of distance to reach the market. Most respondents i.e., 76.67 per
cent had a medium level of involvement in livestock management activities with a mean of
13.72 in the sub-area of feeding and watering,12.17 in breeding, 12.15 in general
management and 11.59 in animal health care.Most respondents i.e., 71.67 per cent had a
medium level of decision-making in livestock management activities with a mean of 14.48 in
household activities followed by a mean of 12.42 in feeding and watering of animals, 10.75
in general management, 7.01 in animal health care, and 6.77 in breeding. In correlational
analysis 3 independent variablesviz.age had a positive and highly significant correlation and
mass media exposure had a negative and highly significant correlation withthe extent of
involvement of womenfolk in livestock management activities in Diyungbra ITDP Block. In
Jatinga Valley Development Block also age had a positive and highly significant correlation
and mass media exposure had a negative and highly significant correlation withthe extent of
involvement of womenfolk in livestock management activities. In Diyungbra ITDP Block, 3
independent variables viz. age, herd size and extension contact, showed a positive and
significant correlation but mass media exposure had a negative and significant correlation
withthe extent of participation of women in decisionmaking process of women in livestock
management. In Jatinga Valley Development Block, age had a positive and highly significant
correlation, extension contact had positive and significant correlation, mass media exposure
had a negative and highly significant correlation and farm landholding showed a negative and
significant correlation withthe extent of participation of women in decisionmaking process of
women in livestock management. Regression analysis between independent variables and the
extent of involvement of womenfolk in livestock management activities could not attain a
level of significance. The co-efficient of multiple determination (R2) value was found to be
0.269, and the F value for R was found to be non-significant.regression analysis between
independent variables and the extent of decision-making process of women in livestock
management showed that the age of respondents of Dima Hasao District had a positive and
significant relation (p<0.05). Herd size also had a positive and significant relation (p<0.05).
The co-efficient of multiple determination (R2) value was found to be 0.273, and the F value
for R was found to be non-significant.