Question

Discussion various economic and sociocultural factors involved in feminisation of agriculture

Answer 1

Women’s work in agriculture has become more visible over the last few decades. In part, this is due to research and data collection that has attempted to more accurately measure women’s activities in rural areas. But, more importantly, women have broadened and deepened their involvement in agricultural production over the last few decades as they increasingly shoulder the responsibility for household survival and respond to economic opportunities in commercial agriculture. This trend has been called the feminization of agriculture.

As a result of rapid industrialisation, urbanization took place, and a migratory change began to take shape following the gender lines. Men migrated first, for long durations and far – off destinations as the social structure of India permits them to seek off-farm employment opportunities. This results in what is called the ‘feminisation of agriculture“. This is basically a socio-economic structural change found in rural households and farming patterns with respect to the role of women.  As the pressure on the poor households to contribute to the commercial economy increases, men start migrating to cities, wherein they get a higher pay. The bias towards male migration has its roots in patriarchal expectations. Women are thus seen as assuming a larger responsibility to meet the family needs back in the rural pockets. About 33.7% of rural males and 44.6% of the urban males migrate for reasons of employment and better economic opportunities. However, in the case of females, it is as low as 3.6% for rural females and around 3.7% for urban migrants. Their upward mobility for employment is restricted.

Women a significant portion of the agricultural work force

The women labour force constitutes a significant portion of the Indian labour force.  From the moment of sowing all the way to carrying crops back home, women must engage themselves in these activities for a livelihood. It has been a serious concern of the decade regarding the increasing contribution of women to agriculture alongside the declining economic stake of women. Marking aside women engaged in crop production, there have been other activities like poultry, fisheries, water conservation, livestock, work related to the common property resources. In fact, In South East Asia, women play a major role in rice production, particularly in sowing, transplanting, harvesting and processing.

Factors responsible for the Feminization of Agriculture

More than half of Indian work force is still dependent on agriculture as a source of revenue. However due to creeping crisis in agriculture, rural men migrate to India’s cities, to work as construction laborers, lorry loaders, rickshaw pullers, domestic servants and street vendors. Due to this male migration, family behind in the village is raised by de facto female-headed families. In addition to undertaking what has traditionally been men’s work, they are also responsible for what are regarded as women’s duties – a double burden.

Feminization of agriculture refers to the ever increasing participation of women in the agricultural labor force. Such an increasing feminization is driven by a combination of socio economic cultural factors operating in tandem.

Economic Factors

Poverty: The state of poverty pushes the women members to work in the agricultural fields to supplement the income levels of the family.

Gender Wage Differentials: Men are paid more than women. When they can get more by working elsewhere, a low-income pursuit is left for women.

Rural to Urban Migration: Male migration forcing women to fill in for them in the agricultural fields.

High demand for agricultural laborers: Traditional way of agriculture is followed which is labor intensive, and hence a high level of demand for laborers already persists in the agricultural sector. It is further intensified by the aforementioned rural to urban migration.

Social Factors- Increasing feminization of old age: Due to greater life expectancy, women outlive men and hence widows end up heading a family and taking to the agricultural fields.

Cultural factors- Cultural acceptance: Agriculture has traditionally been an acceptable avenue of work for women in rural areas, otherwise infamous for many a stigmas when it comes to women’s employability in workplaces.