SUDERSHAN RAO, B.V.KEERTHY SHARADA2018-06-052018-06-051999D5796http://krishikosh.egranth.ac.in/handle/1/5810049019Drudgeryisgenerallyconcievedasphysicaland mentalstrain, agony, .monotonyandhardshipexperiencedbyhumanbeing.Alltheseresultsindecline in living and working conditions affecting men and women alike. Since time immemorialwomeninruralandtribal areasareassociated directlyorindirectly withagriculturalproduction,processinganddistribution.Veryfewstudieshaveso farbeenconductedtoquantifydrudgeryofwomenscientifically. Soalargegap still exists betweentheactual participationoftribalwomen invariousfarm and homeactivitiesandthehardshipstheyencounterintheirwork. Inviewofthese inadequacies,thepresentinvestigationmadeanattempttostudytheperception ofdrudgeryoftribalwomenduetotheirparticipationinfarmandhomeactivities. Ex-postfactoresearchdesignwasfollowedforthestudy.Thestudywas conducted in seethampeta and Veeragattam mandals of Srikakulam district of Andhra Pradeshstate. Fromeachofthesemandals,threevillageswereselected at random. Thus, six villages, Kusimi, Goidi, Devanapuram, K.lchapuram, chinnagora,Gangammapeta,wereselected.120respondentswereselectedfrom 6villagesusing proportionaterandomsamplingmethod. Interviewschedulewasdeveloped,pretestedandusedtocollectthedatapertaining tothevariablesin corporated inthestudy. Majority ofthe respondents were young, married, engaged in twooccupation i.e cultivation and labour, with medium to small family size, owned marginalfarmsize,havingaverageagriculturalincomecoupledwithlabourincome. Majorityoftherespondentswerewithaverageeconomicstatus,belongedtolow indebtedness group with average food intake pattern, with average economic motivationand averagereligiousbelief. Almostalltheactivitiesinnurserymanagementwereperformedbymen except hand weeding. In mainfield activities majority ofthe activities like transplanting, handweeding, harvesting, carrying bundles, making bundles, destruction ofaffected partofplants, winnowing, cleaning and storing ofgrains wereperformedbywomen. Inhomeactivitiesmajorityoftheactivitiesperformed bytribalwomenexceptshoppingandsellingofgoodsinshandiesandborrowing and repayingofloans. Averagetimespentbytribal womenin nursery managementactivitieswashighincaseofhandweedingfollowedbysowinginnurserybeds.Inmain fieldactivities most ofthe time spent in transplanting, hand weeding, harvesting, carrying bundlestothethreshingfloor,winnowing, cleaning andstoring inbins. Inhomeactivitiesmostofthetimespentwasinfetchingofwater,collectionof fuel and careofcattleetc. Perceptionofdrudgeryonthewhole(FarmandHomeactivities)indicatedthataverageperception ofdrudgeryfollowedbyhigh,veryhigh,lowandverylow. Problemsencounteredbytribalwomeninfarmwastransplanting,handweeding,poducultivationandharvesting.Inhomewasfetchingofwater,collection offuel/preparation ofcowdung cakes, borrowing and repaying ofloans, mud plastering,foodpreparationandcareofcattleandsolutionssuggestedwereequal payforequalwork,toolsthatreducedrudgeryaretobemadeavailabletotribals, trainingthetribalwomenonlatesttechnologytoreducetheworkloadandmaking available the pesticides and weedicides at low cost. In home activities much emphasiswasondiggingbore-wells,constructionofbio—gasplantsandsmokeless' chullathatreducethedrudgeryoftribalwomen.ennullThesis