PARTICIPATION OF GENDER IN PADDY CULTIVATION PRACTICES

Abstract

The present study was conducted in Assam focusing on gender roles and division of labor in different activities related to paddy cultivation. A total of 320 numbers of respondents were selected for the study. The data were collected through personal interview with the help of research schedule during 2022. The participation of respondents engaged in paddy cultivation were studied in seven domains: activities related to seed, raising of nursery and transplanting, preparation of field, fertilizer application, water management and intercultural practices, harvesting and Post- harvest and marketing of produce. The responses were collected in frequency and percentage in three-point continuum of “Active participation”, “Partial participation” and “No participation” having the score of 3, 2 and 1 respectively. The overall extent of participation of both men and women in paddy cultivation was calculated to gain an overall view of low, medium and high level of participation. A two sample Z- tests was performed to determine whether there existed any difference in paddy cultivation practices between men and women. Thus, frequency, percentage, Mean, Standard deviation and two sample Z test were used as statistical tools to conduct the present study. The results revealed that majority of the farm women (57.50%) had active participation in seed preservation, transplanting of seedlings into main field (83.75%), post- harvest activities (91.25%). Men were playing role in fertilization (66.25%), water table maintenance (89.38%), chemical applications (89.38%), marketing related activities (90.63%). It can be concluded that women contribute equally with men. They should empower with all necessities which will help to reduce gender gap in agriculture.