Women Farmers Research Articles

High levels of anxiety and depression in women farmers from Ecuador: A cross-section study in Coastal and Highlands regions.

Previous studies have shown that women farmers are particularly vulnerable to mental health disorders such as depression and anxiety. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of anxiety and depression in women farmers from Ecuador Coastal and Highlands regions. General Anxiety Disorder‑7 (GAD‑7) and Patient Health Questionnaire‑9 (PHQ‑9) were applied. In addition, self-reported number of children, days off, hours of work, pesticide use, sleep habits and years of work in agriculture, were also collected. This cross-sectional study occurred during 2023 with 443 women, for Coastal (197) and Highlands (246), respectively. Multivariable binary logistic regression models were performed to obtained adjusted odds ratios (aOR) and their 95% confidence intervals (95% CI). 34.5% of Coastal women had depression, while 27.2% of Highlands women had depression. 20.3% of coastal women farmers had anxiety, while in the Highlands 24.8% had anxiety. Coastal mestizo and montubio women exhibited lower probability of depression, but this was not significant in the Highlands. Coastal women farmers that did not have children showed lower odds of depression (aOR 0.05, 95% CI [0.01, 0.34]). A lower likelihood of depression was observed in coastal women that worked more than 8 hours (aOR 0.22, 95% CI [0.07, 0.72]). Women from the Highlands that had shortened sleep duration exhibited lower odds of depression and anxiety. A higher proportion of depressed women farmers was observed in the Coast region and slightly higher numbers of anxiety cases in the Highlands. The number of children may cause workload and is correlated with depression in Coastal women.

Analysis of posture and carrying loads in agricultural activities performed by farm women

Analysis of posture and carrying loads in agricultural activities performed by farm women

Socio-economic and technological impact of climate resilient technologies on farm women

Socio-economic and technological impact of climate resilient technologies on farm women

Study on extent of empowerment among farm women marketer’s in Telangana state

Study on extent of empowerment among farm women marketer’s in Telangana state

Perceived training needs assessment of tribal farm women engaged in livestock sector of Assam

Perceived training needs assessment of tribal farm women engaged in livestock sector of Assam

Assessing the role of technology transfer and participatory technology development on farmers crop yield and income in Shawa village of Zalingei, Central Darfur State

This study is aiming at assessing the role of technology transfer and participatory technology development on farmers’ crop yield and income in Shawa village of Zalingei locality during 2022/2023 cropping rainy season. Clustered random sampling technique applied. Demonstration farm was established in an area of 1.5 feddan. Farmers field schools (FFSs) of 25 men and women farmers selected. Participatory Technology Development (PTD) for men and women farmers was also developed in an area of 1.5 feddan. Improved seeds will be grown versus local check. Each treatment comprising NPK fertilizer micro dose (0. 0.3, 0.6 and 0.9 gram/ hole) randomly practiced. Fertilizer micro dose with percentage of 17-17-17 was added and mixed with seeds per hole at planting method. All farmers experienced to practical and theoretical farming of FFSs training in all research technical packages of land preparation, sowing date, seed preparation, seed dressing, thinning, weeding, water harvesting, soil conservation, pests and diseases control, seed production technologies, harvest and post harvest technologies. Results of partial crop budget revealed that all crops finically gave positive net returns. The highest yield kg/ha was obtained by Sorghum Wad-Ahmed 3500, Sorghum Butana with 3250, 3000 kg/ha for sorghum local and G/nut Gibaish, while the lowest yield/ha shown by sesame local (776 kg/ha). Therefore, the highest net returns was recorded by sorghum Butana (SDG 329048), sorghum wad-Ahmed (SDG 295477), sorghum local (SDG 269048) and G/nut Gibaish (SDG 108990). While the lowest net returns was computed by G/nut local with SDG 21,381. Results of marginal analysis revealed that sorghum Butana gave the highest MRR 1230. Results of Participatory Technology Development (PTD) of improved yields against local indicated that, the highest yield obtained by sorghum Wad-Ahmed and G/nut Gibaish (1100 and 950 kg/feddan), respectively. While the lowest yield obtained by sesame local (195 kg/feddan). The increased over decreased of improved versus local showed that sorghum wad-ahmed exceed local by 11%, millet Ashana 36%, sesame Promio 13% and groundnut Gibaish exceed local by 25%. The study recommended strengthening research extension farmers and enhancing farmers’ participatory technology development.

Training effectiveness evaluation: Advancing a Kirkpatrick model based composite framework

The present study aims at ideating a quantitative protocol to evaluate effectiveness of training programmes especially meant for farmers, farm women, and rural youth. The specific objective was to develop a robust framework for measuring the effectiveness of rural training programmes organized by the Farmers Training Centres (FTCs) of India. Kirkpatrick’s training evaluation model provides us the foundation to design a four-dimensional composite framework based on range-based indicator normalization, principal component analysis based indicator weight estimation, and rank correlation based framework sensitivity testing. We used cross-sectional primary data generated through household survey and personal interviews with randomly selected one thousand trainees to test and validate our proposed protocol. Applying it on our evaluation target we find that the degree of effectiveness of the training programmes varies; one in every four training programmes may not be effective. Trainees’ reactions on various aspects of the training programmes may have positive and significant influence on learning. Training outcomes may be linked with the trainees’ post-training changes in behaviour. A sensitivity test confirms that the proposed framework is not susceptible to changes in weighting schemes, implying robustness of indicator selection. The findings offer dissection of individual training programmes guiding policy decisions for a training organization. The proposed framework enriches the Kirkpatrick’s training evaluation model by offering standardized indicators for training effectiveness evaluation.

Interventions promoting resilience through climate smart agricultural practices for women farmers: A systematic review.

Climate change poses a significant threat to agricultural production worldwide, with developing countries being particularly vulnerable to its negative impacts. Agriculture, which is a crucial factor in ensuring food security and livelihoods, is particularly vulnerable to changes in climate patterns, such as increased temperatures, drought, and extreme weather events. One approach to addressing these challenges is by promoting the adoption of climate-smart agriculture (CSA) practices among farmers. CSA combines traditional agricultural practices with innovative techniques and technologies to adapt to and mitigate the impacts of climate change. infrastructure. By adopting CSA practices, farmers can enhance their resilience to climate variability and improve their productivity. This review examines the effectiveness of interventions promoting CSA to enhance farmers' knowledge of the benefits of CSA approaches, subsequent adoption of CSA, and disadoption of harmful agricultural practices in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). We searched 39 academic and online databases, websites, and repositories and screened over 19,000 experimental and quasi-experimental publications to identify studies promoting CSA practices to women farmers. We conducted a citation tracking process on included studies and contacted experts to ensure a thorough search. The review focused on studies that included interventions promoting climate-smart agricultural approaches. Using EPPI Reviewer 4, two review authors independently screened the impact evaluation using a standardized screening tool. Information about participant characteristics, intervention characteristics, control conditions, research design, sample size, bias risk, outcomes, and results were gathered. Data collection and quantitative analysis were conducted using standard Campbell Collaboration methods. Eight impact evaluations were found (two randomized controlled trials) evaluating the effects of CSA practices on farmer's knowledge gains of the benefits of CSA practices and subsequent adoption. Knowledge dissemination approaches such as Farmer Field Schools and weather and climate information services were found to positively impact farmers' knowledge and adoption of specific CSA practices. However, the evidence supporting this claim is uncertain as a high risk of bias was assessed for five of the eight included studies. However, we found no effects on the disadoption of harmful practices such as pesticide overuse. The evidence base for studies promoting climate-smart agricultural approaches (CSA) to farmers in LMICs is small, and there is a lack of studies reporting sex-disaggregated data and studies explicitly targeting women farmers. The review suggests that knowledge dissemination techniques are significantly effective in improving CSA knowledge and adoption, including integrated pest management techniques and their benefits, adoption of climate-resilient rice seed varieties (STRVs), and use of botanical pesticides by farmers. More and better confidence studies are needed to inform policy and programming, including those that look at a wider range of interventions, including changing norms, values, and institutional arrangements.

Utilization of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) Among Women Farmers in North-Eastern Nigeria

This research focused on evaluating the utilization of ICTs by women farmers in North-Eastern Nigeria. A multi-stage sampling method, which included both purposive and simple random sampling techniques, was used to select 359 women farmers for the study. Primary data were gathered and analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics to meet the study's objectives. The majority of respondents (78.0%) were married, with a mean age of 41 years. Most of the respondents (52.5%) were involved in trading, and the average farm size was 3.4 hectares. Additionally, 88.3% had a high social participation score, and 51.7% and 58.9% were aware of old and new ICTs, respectively. Majority of the participants benefited from access to information on fertilizer sources and application (74.9%), credits, grants, and loans (70.8%), market rates and locations (63.1%), and crop pests, diseases, and control (62.1%) through the use of ICTs. Most of the respondents faced several constraints: high cost of gadgets (73.5%), insufficient time allotted to agricultural programmes (73.5%), lack of or inadequate ICT infrastructure (62.3%), expensive power/electricity prices (61.3%), defective equipment (57.8%), and multiple responsibilities of women farmers (54.3%). The regression analysis showed that age, marital status, religion, farm size, household size, and occupations did not significantly affect ICT utilization. However, educational attainment, participation in social organizations, and awareness were significant factors influencing the use of ICTs among women farmers. Based on these findings, it was recommended that the Federal Government of Nigeria should prioritize the establishment of essential infrastructure aimed at promoting and facilitating the utilization of ICTs among women farmers.

Impact of Sustainable Intensification of Coconuts Toward Women Farmer’s Empowerment in Sarmi Papua

Impact of Sustainable Intensification of Coconuts Toward Women Farmer’s Empowerment in Sarmi Papua

Women’s Participation in Agro-biodiversity Management: A Case Study of Kaski District

The management of agro-biodiversity is integral to developing resilient and sustainable agricultural systems capable of addressing existing challenges. An investigation was carried out in Kaski district of Nepal during 2022 to explore the women’s participation in agro-biodiversity management. Pretested semi-structured questionnaire was employed to gather primary data from 100 farm households. Further, Focus Group Discussion (FGD) and Key Informant Interview (KII) was used to gather primary data. Mean, frequency and other measures were used to present the findings. Results revealed that women play major role in collection and preservation of Non-Timber Forest products (NTFPs) in comparison to men. Involvement of women in drying, storage, marketing and value addition was also high in comparison to men. Women farmers’ role in seed selection is predominant. Farmers are conserving traditional and exotic species of fodders, vegetables crops, and diversity on spices, cereals, oilseeds and legumes. From the above findings, it is suggested that the government and other development agencies should tailor policies and programs through the participation of women farmers for sustainability of conservation efforts. Moreover, involvement of stakeholders should be ensured in the implementation at the community level.

Communication Skills and Empowerment of Rural Women

Objective: To determine the relationship between communication skills and the empowerment of women farmers located in the Puno region, Peru. Theoretical Framework: The theoretical basis focuses on communication skills and women's empowerment. Communication skills refer to an individual's ability to express their thoughts, needs, feelings, desires, and concerns using oral and written language, which serve as tools to facilitate interaction among participants involved in communication. Women's empowerment is the process through which women increase their capacity to shape their own lives and environments, manifested in different ways: a sense of security, economic participation, political involvement, leadership, and decision-making. Methodology: The methodology is based on a quantitative correlational research approach, with a non-experimental and cross-sectional design. The sample was census-based and consisted of 40 women leaders representing the rural communities of the Human Rights and Environment Association. Results: There is a moderately positive and significant correlation between communication skills and women's empowerment (r = 0.53), with a p-value < 0.05. This indicates that as communication skills develop, women's empowerment improves, giving them greater opportunities to participate in politics, the economy, and decision-making, which contributes to improving their family and local lifestyle.

Analysing the impact of climate change on dairy farming as perceived by the women farmers: Application of analytical hierarchy process

Impact of climate change on various sectors across the globe is quite evident and the dairy sector is no exemption to the threats of changing climate. Most of the activities in dairy farming are performed by women. Dairy farming is a source of sustainable income for the women in rural areas. Women are more vulnerable to the adverse effects of climate change due to their socio-economic position in the society. So, an attempt was made to capture the impacts of climate change on dairy farming from women farmers’ perspective. A total of 360 women farmers were approached for the study. Analytical hierarchy process was used to identify which of the four components and 16 sub-components of dairy farming are most affected due to changing climate. Analysis of farmers’ responses revealed that productive performance was perceived to be the most affected component and average daily milk yield was perceived to be greatly affected due changes in climate.

Adaptation strategies to effects of climate change on vegetable production among women farmers in Imo State, Nigeria

Adaptation strategies to effects of climate change on vegetable production among women farmers in Imo State, Nigeria

Gendered impacts of COVID-19 in agri-food system and recovery pathways in India: A systematic review

The agricultural sector, essential for food security and economic stability, especially in developing countries such as India, faced significant disruption during the COVID-19 pandemic. Impacts included labour shortages, limited market access, disrupted supply chains and wasted perishable goods due to mobility restrictions. While many studies have addressed these effects in India, a conspicuous gap remains in understanding how gender dynamics intensify these vulnerabilities within the country. This review synthesises findings from 32 studies, shedding light on the intersection of gender and the pandemic's influence on India's agri-food system. Results revealed a noticeable underrepresentation of gender-centric research on COVID-19's agricultural impacts in India, with many studies being geographically limited. When gender was considered, few critically examined it as a socially constructed role, often reducing it to a mere variable. Women farmers, constrained by societal norms like lack of land rights and limited access to resources, endured more pronounced negative effects. Their participation in wage employment dropped, and household food security dwindled. Furthermore, women in India faced augmented domestic burdens, heightened domestic violence risks and health challenges. Notably absent from current research is a focus on the long-term economic recuperation of rural women post-pandemic within the Indian context and an exploration of varied gender-category impacts. Future research in India must adopt a longitudinal, intersectional lens, combining qualitative and quantitative methodologies, to fully grasp and address these enduring gendered ramifications in the agri-food sector in the post-COVID-19 context.

Faktor-Faktor Yang Mempengaruhi Peranan Perempuan dalam Budaya Bali di Desa Bali Sadhar Selatan Kecamatan Banjit Kabupaten Way Kanan

This study aims to identify and describe the factors that influence the role of women farmers and the view of Balinese culture on the role of women. The research was carried out in March 2022-April 2022 in South Bali Sadhar Village, Banjit District, Way Kanan Regency. The informants in this study were female farmers and male farmers who worked in the lowland rice sector with a total of 12 people. The approach used in this research is a qualitative approach with a research method, namely case studies. The results showed that the factors that influence the role of women are family factors, economic pressure factors, education factors and habit factors. This view of Balinese culture on the role of women is considered positive, because activities carried out in accordance with awig-awig (customary regulations) and work are an obligation to carry out dharma (goodness/truth) in accordance with Hindu religious teachings. Keywords: Factors, Role of Women, Balinese Culture

Constraints faced by dairy farm women in managing their dairy enterprise in Uttarakhand

Constraints faced by dairy farm women in managing their dairy enterprise in Uttarakhand

Development of scale to measure perception of farm women about climate change

Development of scale to measure perception of farm women about climate change

Pemberdayaan Kelompok Wanita Tani Dalam Mengolah Produk Pasca Panen Minuman Sereh Lemon Selasih

This community service aims to empower women's farmer groups in processing post-harvest products, specifically lemongrass lemon basil drink. The target of this activity is the Garuda RW 12 Women's Farmer Group in Cipayung Village, Ciputat District, South Tangerang City, which has great potential in developing processed products from local agricultural produce. The activity was conducted on Sunday, May 19, 2024, at the RW 12 Hall Office and the local garden. The method used in this activity includes intensive training and mentoring, covering the stages of planning, implementation, and evaluation. The training encompasses processing techniques, packaging, and marketing strategies for the lemongrass lemon basil drink product. The results show that the women's farmer group can process lemongrass lemon basil drink with good quality standards. Additionally, there was an increase in the knowledge and skills of group members in technical and managerial aspects. The products also received positive feedback from the local market, reflected in increased sales and consumer interest. The implications of this activity are the enhancement of the economic welfare of the women's farmer group through the diversification of post-harvest processed products and the strengthening of their capacity to develop small-scale agricultural-based businesses. This empowerment is expected to serve as a model that can be applied in other villages with similar conditions

Development Strategy of Sweet Potato Rice in Tegal Arum Village Rimbo Bujang Sub District Tebo District (Case Study of Sweet Potato Rice in The Farmer Women's Group "Kasih Ibu")

Development Strategy of Sweet Potato Rice in Tegal Arum Village Rimbo Bujang Sub District Tebo District (Case Study of Sweet Potato Rice in The Farmer Women's Group "Kasih Ibu")