Agro-climatic Zone-wise Analysis of Women in Farming in Punjab

Abstract

Women play a significant and crucial role in agricultural development and allied fields including in the main crop production, livestock production, horticulture, post harvest activities, agro/social forestry, fisheries, etc. This fact has always been taken for granted and also long ignored. However, lack of data hampers the policy makers in clearly understanding the extent of participation of women in farm operations. Women's perspectives can only be included in designing and implementing macro- economic and social policies if their role is adequately understood .In order to understand the present status of rural women vis-a-vis their agro-climatic zone wise participation in farm activities an attempt was made under the Extension component of All India Coordinated Research Project on Home Science. The study in rural Punjab represented by 2980 households from five agro-climatic zones representing five distinct landholding categories clearly indicate an active participation of women in most of the selected activities . Highest participation in farm activities was found in sub-mountainous undulating zone. Women maximum participation was observed in harvesting and weeding.