The representative of the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations in India, Mr Shyam Khadka, called for the “feminisation” of the agricultural system.
The representative of the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations in India, Mr Shyam Khadka, called for the “feminisation” of the agricultural system. It is estimated that two-thirds of farmers are women.
He said for instance women are involved in transplanting of rice, sowing, winnowing and harvesting. They are also in to processing like converting paddy into rice, wheat into flour and unfortunately they are paid less than men.
He also points out that since 95 per cent of the research in agriculture is handled by men they design equipment that would relieve the drudgery of men.
For instance tractors have relieved men of the burden of sowing. Mechanised equipment is available for transplanting can be used by women but this equipment is not subsidised and so is expensive, he said.
Everything is done for the men, he said adding even the extension workers are men and they find it difficult to approach the women and vice versa.
“It is necessary to empower and equip women with knowledge. This would also reduce wastage to 5 per cent,” he said speaking to this newspaper on the sidelines of the Global economic Summit.
A 1991 FAO report reveals that in overall farm production, the women’s average contribution is estimated at 55 per cent to 66 per cent of the total labour with percentages, much higher in certain regions.
In the Indian Himalayas a pair of bullocks works 1,064 hours, a man 1,212 hours and a woman 3,485 hours in a year on a one hectare farm, a figure that illustrates women’s significant contribution to agricultural production.
