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Impact of Modern Agricultural Technology on the Livelihoods of Rural Women

M.M. Alam
Department of Farm Power and Machinery, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh-2202, Bangladesh

L.R. Mallik
Department of Farm Power and Machinery, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh-2202, Bangladesh

A.B.M. Nurul Anwar
Department of Agricultural Extension Education, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh-2202, Bangladesh

C.K. Saha
Department of Farm Power and Machinery, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh-2202, Bangladesh

Abstract/ Executive Summary:

The main purpose of the study was to determine the impact of selected modern agricultural technologies on the livelihoods of rural women of Garadia village under Phulpur upazila of Mymensingh district. The selected agricultural technologies are Livestock and Poultry Production Technology, Home based Vegetable Production Technology and Crop Production Technology. Women are classified into three categories namely never poor, occasionally poor and usually poor on the basis of their family land holding, income, food security, employment, education, and social networks. The impact of modern agricultural technologies on the livelihoods of rural women are studied based on six livelihood outcome indicators namely, income, food security, well-being, empowerment, vulnerability and access to institutions. The rural women are found mostly involved in crop production technology, homestead, vegetable production technology and livestock and poultry production technology for supplementary income of the households. The adoption of modern agricultural technologies have 'moderate' to 'good' impact on the livelihoods of about 86 percent of the rural women of the study area. Among the three selected modern agricultural LPPT recorded the highest livelihood in of 1384 followed by HVPT and CPT with livelihood indices of 1092 and 403, respectively. The study indicates that among the agricultural technologies, LPPT has the most significant influence on the present improvement of the livelihoods of rural women. The women are also very keen to involve in HVPT. Alongside of LPPT and HVPT home based post-harvest processing of crops such as threshing, winnowing, drying, parboiling and storage of crops are the important activities, where women are actively involved. The study also reveals that most of the benefits go in favour of the 'never poor' category of rural women followed by 'occasionally poor' (TLI =793) and limited impact to 'usually poor' category ( TLI-503), In any future livelihood strategy formulation for the rural women the involvement of 'usually poor' women need to be ensured. so that they can not be left out of the main stream development.

Keywords: Characteristics of farmers, Modern agricultural technology, Livelihood index

Location: Garadia under Phulpur upazila of Mymensingh district

Start Date: 00-00-0000

End Date: 00-00-0000

Program Area: Socio-economic and Policy

Non-commodity: Impact

Objectives:

To determine the impact of modern agricultural technologies on the livelihoods of rural women.

Methodology:

Hundred and fifty farm families of the village Garadia under Phulpur upazila of Mymensingh district were the population and locale of this piece of research. Fifty women members among the households were selected using stratified random sampling technique for this study. A set of questionnaire was the instrument used for collecting data in this piece of research. A draft questionnaire was prepared in accordance with the objective of the study. The questionnaire was pretested on 10 women. Necessary alteration, additions and adjustments were made in the questionnaire based on the pre-tested results. Data were collected by the researchers through personal interview procedure with the help of the women of the village. The interview of each woman was conducted separately and each of the queries in the questionnaire was explained properly. The target households were categorized as usually poor. occasionally poor and never poor. The categories were defined on the basis of review of research articles and consultation with the community people and key informants in the relevant field. The main criteria based on such selected variables of such classification were: land ownership, food security, housing conditions employing or selling labour, education and social networks. The economic activities of the study area was mostly dependent of agricultural (on and off- farm) and some related activities. The women were found to be involved mainly in home-based agricultural activities such as home -based vegetable production, livestock and poultry production, production and post-harvest processing of field crops etc. Depending on the major involvement of the respondent women modern agricultural technologies were classified into three categories as Crop Production Technology, CPT ( included technologies related to production of field crop and their post-harvest processing ); Livestock and Poultry Production Technology, LPPT ( included technologies related to production and management of poultry and livestock); and Home based Vegetable Production Technology, HVPT (included technologies related to production of home-based vegetable). Traditionally these technologies were being used by the rural women form a long time, but in last three decades modern management and production technologies were promoted to rural women by the department of agricultural extension, livestock and fisheries and other government and autonomous organizations and playing an important role in alleviating livelihoods of rural farm families and in particular to the women. Based on intensive search of literature and comprehensive interaction with the key informants six outcome livelihood indicators were identified and measured with appropriate instrument. The livelihood outcome indicators are: Income, Food security, Well-being, Empowerment, Vulnerability and Access to institutions.

Source of Information: Journal of Agricultural Machinery and Bioresources engineering 5 (1&2), 2009, 9-14, ISSN:1993-4041

Article Link (Online Journal):

Funding Source:

Total Budget (Tk.) :

Achievement/Findings:

The study reveals that the selected modern agricultural technologies have made a 'Moderate impact' on the livelihoods of most (86%) of the women respondents in the study area. It is become possible because of the significant progress has been made in the last decade in the dissemination of the modern agricultural technologies in the rural Bangladesh by the government agencies and NGO initiatives. Among the selected agricultural technologies, livestock and poultry production technology has made considerable influence on the present improvement of the livelihoods of rural women, followed by home based vegetable production technology and crop production technology. The technologies have made notable improvement in women empowerment, reduced vulnerability, access to institution, well being, family income and food security. The study reveals that the benefits of adoption of modern agricultural technologies mostly go in favour of the 'never poor' to 'occasionally poor' categories of rural women. The 'usually poor category of rural women is unable to harness the benefits due to lack of resources and inputs related to home based agricultural activities. Any future women development activities initiated by GO, NGO and private sector must ensure the access of 'usually poor' rural women to resources and inputs related to home based agricultural activities.

Knowledge Management: Journal