Knowledge of women in activities related to farming system in agrarian community of Bangladesh

Abstract

The study was mainly designed to determine the knowledge of women in activities related to agricultural farming system and to describe the selected characteristics of the women. The selected characteristics of the women were age, level of education, family size, farm size, family annual income, farming experience and training exposure. Two unions of sader upazila under Mymensingh district were the locale of the study. A sample of 100 women were selected randomly from a population of 1042. Data were collected from March 10 to April 9, 2009 using a structured interview schedule. Descriptive statistics was used in order to fulfill the objectives of the study. Majority of (71 per cent) the women had medium to high knowledge and 29 per cent had low knowledge on various aspects of farming system activities. As many as 10 problems were mentioned by the women and ranked in order to problem facing index ranged from 80 to 243. The main problems faced by the women in practicing farming system were: Less extension contact by SAAOs of DAE regarding farming system, lack of training facilities, lack of knowledge about farming system, unavailability of capital for farming system, unavailability of farming inputs, lack of marketing facilities, lack of coordination and consciousness among women regarding farming system, adverse weather condition, social barriers (norms, values etc.).