INVOLVEMENT OF RURAL WOMEN IN FARM

ACTIVITIES

THESIS

Su b m i t t e d t o
Dr. Panjabrao Deshmukh Krishi Vidyapeeth, Akola
in partial fulfilment of the requirements
for the Degree of

MASTER OF SCIENCE
IN
AGRICULTURE
(EXTENSION EDUCATION)

By

MHAISANE SNEHA KAILAS

DEPARTMENT OF EXTENSION EDUCATION

POST GRADUATE INSTITUTE, AKOLA

DR. PANJABRAO DESHMUKH KRISHI VIDYAPEETH,

KRISHINAGAR PO, AKOLA (MS) 444 104

Enrolment Number – JJ-1037 2017

0
 DECLARATION OF STUDENT

I hereby declare that the experimental work and its

interpretation of the Thesis entitled “INVOLVEMENT OF RURAL
WOMEN IN FARM ACTIVITIES” or part thereof has neither been
submitted for any other degree or diploma of any university, nor the
data have been derived from any thesis / publication of any university
or scientific organization. The source of materials used and all
assistance received during the course of investigation have been
duly acknowledged.

Place: Akola (Mhaisane Sneha Kailas)

Date: / /2017 Enrolment [Link]-1037

i
 CERTIFICATE

This is to certify that the thesis entitled “INVOLVEMENT

OF RURAL WOMEN IN FARM ACTIVITIES” submitted in partial
fulfilment of the requirement for the degree of “Master of Science in
Agriculture (Extension Education)” of Dr. Panjabrao Deshmukh
Krishi Vidyapeeth, Akola is a record of bonafide research work carried
out by Mhaisane Sneha Kailas under my guidance and supervision.
The subject of the thesis has been approved by the Student’s
Advisory Committee.

Place: Akola Dr. P. P. Wankhade

Chairman,
Date: / /2017 Advisory Committee

Countersigned

Associate Dean,
Post Graduate Institute,
Dr. Panjabrao Deshmukh Krishi Vidyapeeth, Akola.

THESIS APPROVED BY THE STUDENT’S ADVISORY COMMITTEE

INCLUDING EXTERNAL EXAMINER (AFTER VIVA-VOCE)

1. Chairman ([Link]) ________________

2. Member ([Link]) ________________

3. Member (Shri.Y.B. Shambharkar) ________________

4. Member ([Link]) ________________

5. External member (Dr.D.M. Mankar) ________________

ii
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
Success is not possible lonely without involvement of many
minds and hands to beautify it. Emotion cannot be adequately expressed in
words because then emotions are transformed into mere formalities.
Nevertheless, formalities have to be completed. My acknowledgements are
many more than what I am expressing here.
It is my great privilege and immense pleasure, in availing this
opportunity of expressing my deepest sense of obligations towards
Chairman of my advisory committee Dr. P. P. Wankhade, Assistant
Professor, Department of Extension Education, PGI, Dr. PDKV, Akola, for
his benevolent guidance, constant inspiration, constructive criticism, keep
interest right for selection of my research problem up to final shaping of this
dissertation and continuous encouragement during entire course of
investigation.
I am immensely grateful to members of my advisory
committee, [Link], Assistant Professor Department of Extension
Education, PGI, Dr. PDKV, Akola, Shri. [Link], Assistant
Professor, Department of extension education, PGI, Dr. PDKV, Akola and
[Link], Assistant Professor, Department of Agril. Economics and
Statistics, PGI,Dr. PDKV, Akola, for their valuable suggestions, needful
counseling during the span of this investigation.
I acknowledge my sincere thanks to Dr. D. M. Mankar, Head,
Department of Extension Education and Director of research, Dr. PDKV,
Akola, for valuable guidance, inspiration and providing necessary facilities
through [Link]. programme. I wish to record my earnest gratefulness to Dr.
[Link], Dean, Post Graduate Institute, Dr. PDKV, Akola, for providing
all the facilities during the course of present investigation. I express my
deep sense of honor to Dr. [Link], Associate Dean, Post Graduate
Institute, Dr. P.D.K.V., Akola for providing necessary facilities and
administrative help during the entire course of study.
I wish to express my sincere and heartfelt thanks to faculty
members Dr. N. M. Kale, Associate Professor, Department of Extension

iii
Education, PGI, Akola, [Link], Department of Extension Education,
PGI, Akola, who helped me directly or indirectly during the course of
investigation.
I also thankful to Priti Todasam madam, Varsha sangale
madam, Wakhare Kaka and Dandale Kaka, from Department of Extension
Education for constant encouragement for completing this investigation.

I think words with me are insufficient to express the feelings

of hearts to acknowledge my parents, Shri. Kailas Dinkarrao Mhaisane and
Sau. Jyoti Kailas Mhaisane for their hard work to educate me and
shadowing me by showing their backs towards me without which this work
would not have been seen in the light of the day at all. I am very thankful to
my younger brother Uday and my sister Shruti and Vaishnavi for their
affection, enlivened my ability and evoked me to complete this work.

I pleasure to express my heartiest gratitude towards the help

rendered by my friends Kajal, Manisha, Rajina, and all [Link]. (Agri.) 2016
Batch. My room-mate who helped me directly or indirectly for completion of
this research work and for their timely co-operation.

I equally express my gratitude for all scientist and authors

cited in literature cited. I am thankful to respondents and personnel of
Department of Agriculture and those who spend their valuable time during
data collection, unless I could not complete this huge exercise. I am also
thankful to Nikhil Graphics, Akola for their neat type setting for preparing
this dissertation.

While traveling on the path of life and education many hands

pushed me fourth hearth enlightened by their knowledge and experience. I
ever rest thankful to them all.

Lastly, I am thankful to the “GOD” and “GOODNESS” and

all whosoever have helped in making this mission for the study a success.

Place : Akola (Mhaisane Sneha Kailas)

Date : / /2017 Enrolment [Link]-1037
iv
 TABLE OF CONTENTS

Sl. No. Particulars Page

A DECLARATION i

B CERTIFICATE ii

C AKNOWLEDGEMENT iii

D List of Tables vi

E List of Figures viii

F List of plates ix

G List of Abbreviation x

H Thesis Abstract xi

I INTRODUCTION 1-8

II REVIEW OF LITERATURE 9-29

III METHODOLOGY 30-47

IV SOCIO-ECONOMIC FEATURES OF AKOLA

48-52
DISTRICT

V RESULTS AND DISCUSSION 53-90

VI SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS 91-94

VII IMPLICATIONS 95-96

VIII LITERATURE CITED 97-102

VITA 103

APPENDIX 104-112

v
A) List of Tables

Table Title Page

List of selected Tahsils on the basis of population of
1 31
women
2 List of villages selected for the study 31
3 List of variables and their measurements 34
4 Land use pattern of Akola district. 49
5 Distribution of net area sown of Akola district 50

6 Distribution of crop season and crop rotation 51

7 Distribution of the respondents according to their Age 54
Distribution of respondents according to their
8 56
Education
Distribution of the respondents according to their
9 Annual income 58

Distribution of the respondents according to their

10 58
Family type
Distribution of the respondents according to their
11 59
Family size
Distribution of the respondents according to their
12 Family occupation 61

Distribution of the respondents according to their Land

13 62
holding
Distribution of the respondents according to their
14 Social participation 64

Distribution of the respondents according to their

15 64
Source of information
Distribution of the respondents according to their
16 66
Extension contact
Distribution of the respondents according to their level
17 67
of extension contact
Distribution of the respondents according to their levels
18 69
of time spent for agricultural activities
Distribution of the respondents according to their level
19 71
of knowledge

vi
 Distribution of the respondents according to their
20 71
involvement in planning
Distribution of the respondents according to planning
21 involvement index 73

Distribution of the respondents according to their

22 involvement in decision making 75

Distribution of the families according to decision

23 making involvement index 76

Distribution of the respondents according to their

24 involvement in adoption 78

Distribution of the respondents according to adoption

25 involvement index 79

Distribution of the respondents according to their

26 overall involvement in agricultural activities 81

Correlation Coefficients of independent variables with

27 involvement in planning 83

Correlation Coefficients of independent variables with

28 involvement in decision making 85

Correlation Coefficients of independent variables with

29 involvement in adoption 86

Distribution of respondents according to their

30 constraints in different farm activities 87

Distribution of respondents according to their

31 drudgeries in different farm activities 88

vii
(B) List of Figures

Figure Title Page

1 Conceptual model of the study 29

2 Map of Akola district of study area 32
3 Distribution of the respondents according to their age. 55
Distribution of the respondents according to their 55
4
education.
Distribution of the respondents according to their annual 57
5
income.
Distribution of the respondents according to their family 57
6
type.
Distribution of the respondents according to their family 60
7
size.
Distribution of respondents according to their family 60
8
occupation
Distribution of the respondents according to their land 63
9
holding.
Distribution of the respondents according to their social 63
10
participation
Distribution of the respondents according to their sources 65
11
of information
Distribution of respondents according to their frequency 65
12 of extension contact
Distribution of the respondents according to their level of 68
13
extension contact
Distribution of the respondents according to their level of 68
14
time spent for agricultural activities
Distribution of the respondents according to level of 70
15
knowledge
Distribution of the respondents according to planning 74
16
involvement index
Distribution of the respondents according to decision 77
17
making involvement index
Distribution of the respondents according to adoption 80
18
involvement index
Distribution of the respondents according to overall 82
19 involvement index (Includes overall three components of
involvement)
20 Empirical model of the study 90

viii
(C) List of Plates

Particulars After
Plate
page
Interaction with rural women engaged in farm 37
1 activities
Interaction with rural women’s during collection of 37
2 data

ix
(D) List of Abbreviations

% - Per cent
Agri. - Agriculture
Agril. - Agricultural
Dept. - Department
Educ. - Education
Et al. – et alia (all others)
Extn. - Extension
FAO - Food and Agriculture Organization
Fig. - Figure
GOI - Government of India
ha. - Hectare
i.e. - That is
J. - Journal
No. - Number
Res. - Research
Rev. - Review
Rs. - Rupees
Sci. – Science

Sl. No. - Serial Number

Std. - Standard

UN - United Nations

Univ. - University

Unpub. - Unpublished

Viz. - Namely

Vol. - Volume

x
 (F) Thesis Abstract

a) Title of the thesis : INVOLVEMENT OF RURAL

WOMEN IN FARM ACTIVITIES

b) Name of student : Mhaisane Sneha Kailas

c) Name and Address of : Dr. P. P. Wankhade
Major Advisor Assistant Professor,
Department of Extension Education,
Dr. Panjabrao Deshmukh Krishi
Vidyapeeth, Akola (M.S.)–4441004.

d) Degree to be awarded : [Link]. (Agriculture)

e) Year of award of degree : 2017
f) Major subject : Extension Education
g) Total number of pages in
the thesis : 87
h) Total number of words in : 540
thesis abstract
i) Signature of the student :

j) Signature, Name and :

Address of forwarding
Authority

Head,
Department of Extension
Education,
[Link] Deshmukh Krishi Vidyapeeth,
Akola. (MS)

ABSTRACT

A study on ‘INVOLVEMENT OF RURAL WOMEN IN FARM

ACTIVITIES’ was purposively carried out in Akola district of Maharashtra
state during 2016-17. The study was conducted in Akola and Akot tahsil by
using exploratory design of social research. The sample constituted 120
respondents drawn from 10 villages by using random sampling. The main
objective of study are- to study the involvement of rural women in farm

xi
activities, to study the relationship between selected characteristics of the
rural women and their involvement in farm activities, to study the drudgery
faced by the rural women in performing farm activities, to study the
constraints faced by the rural women in farm activities. The data was
collected by personal interview method using pre-tested interview
schedule.
The distribution pertaining to age of the respondents indicate
that higher proportion of respondents (46.66%) belong to middle age
category. It was found that 72.50 per cent of the respondents were highly
educated. Majority of the respondents (60.84%) had annual income comes
under category up to Rs. 75,000/- The family type clearly explains that great
majority (95.83%) of the respondents had nuclear type of family and 60.00
per cent of the respondents had possessed medium family size. Near about
half (44.16%) of the respondents had agriculture as main occupation.
Above one third (39.16%) of the respondents were grouped in small
category of land holding. Exactly half (50.00%) of the respondents had low
social participation and near about three-fourth (74.16%) of the respondents
had moderate access to the sources of information. Exactly half (50.83%) of
the respondents had low extension contact. Above one third (36.67%) of
the respondents had spent moderate time i.e. 7-8 hours for agricultural
activities. Near about half (45.83%) of the respondents had moderate
knowledge about farm activities.

Great majority of respondent (90.00%) women had low

involvement in planning. More than half (56.66%) of women respondents
were moderately involved in decision making and 45.83 per cent women
had moderate involvement in adoption. Overall involvement of majority
(69.17%) of women respondents was moderate.

It is vivid from the study that among the personal, socio-

economic and psychological characteristics out of 12 selected variables
indicated that annual income, land holding, extension contact and
knowledge were positively and significantly correlated with involvement in
planning, decision making and adoption of farm activities by the rural

xii
women. It is found that age has significant relationship with involvement in
decision making and with adoption. Whereas, education, family type, family
size, family occupation, source of information and social participation were
found to be non-significant with the involvement in planning, decision
making and adoption of farm activities. Time spent in agriculture did not
show any significant relationship with involvement in planning.

Majority (81.67%) of respondents had faced unfavourable

social condition to get information from extension members, (70.83%)
health problems while working in farm activities, (68.33%) physical and
mental stress due to both field and domestic work were some major
constraints faced by the respondents. Majority (88.33%) of the rural women
had faced high drudgery such as hardening of knee joint, pulling of body
muscles during stubble collection, swelling and itching to hand during seed
treatment, muscle pain of waist and neck during sowing and weeding, body
discomfort, increase in blood pressure, heart rate during cutting etc.

xiii
 CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background information

“ Just a bird could not fly with its one wing only,
A nation could not march forward if women are left behind”
-Swami Vivekananda
Agriculture is the backbone of the Indian economy and
contributes nearly 50.00 per cent of the total national income. Therefore,
the development of the country depends on agricultural development,
where both men and women shoulder the responsibility of work. Agriculture
has always been a way of life for 80 per cent of people in India and
provides a bulk of employment in rural areas. Women are the pivot around
whom the family, the society and the whole community move, their role is
crucial in directing and shaping the welfare of the family. They have to
perform dual roles of house wife as well as wage earner and play a vital
role in agriculture operations.

Some historians believe that women were the first agriculturist;

means domesticated crop plants and thereby initiated the art and science
of farming. Women started gathering food from the native flora and began
cultivating those of interest from the point of view of food, fodder, fibre and
fuel.

In today’s society, the role of women extends much beyond

the home upbringing of children. A large number of farm women are not
only engaged in farm activities but also playing a vital role in kitchen-
gardening, poultry-keeping, goat-rearing, preserving seeds, marketing of
milk, vegetables and fruits. Women are the key players in agriculture and
allied fields. Rural women play key role by working with full passion in
production of crops right from the soil preparation till post-harvest
technologies. Rural women’s activities typically include producing
agricultural crops, tending animals, processing and preparing food, working

1
for wages in agricultural or other rural enterprises, collecting fuel and water,
caring for family members and maintaining their homes.

Agriculture is basically a family enterprise in which women is

fully involved. She is a cultivator, co-operator, cultivator-cum-labourer and
contributor to the family income and decision making. Women must give a
full chance to participate in decision making as they are actively engaged in
home and farm activities. Women’s active involvement in decision making
is considered essential for rapid economic development of the country. In
agriculture women are actively involved in some selected pre sowing and
post sowing operations, harvesting and post harvesting operations as well
as allied activities. During the peak period of agriculture operations,
especially at harvesting time, women of rural families’ work on average 7-8
hours a day in the field beside their routine such as cooking, child rearing,
cleaning etc.

The National Sample Survey 2016 has shown that the

contribution of women in agriculture is higher than that of men. About 82.20
per cent of women in the rural sector are employed in the primary
production as family helpers on the farm. According to U.N. food and
agricultural organization women are responsible for at least 50.00 per cent
of all food production. Their participation in home and farm activities is
depending upon social, cultural and economic conditions of the area.
Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru had said, ‘To awake people it is the women who
must be awakened. Once she is on the move the family moves, the villages
move and the nation moves.’ After Independence though the constitution
has given equal opportunities to men and women on paper, yet women
remain secondary to men.

It is understood that the women’s responsibility in agriculture is

far more than male because of their involvement in multifarious activities. It
has been increasingly realized that women possess a talent that can be
harnessed for the productive purposes. It is estimated that the women are
responsible for 70.00 per cent of actual work and constitute up to 60.00 per
cent of farming population. It is therefore not an exaggeration, that women
2
in developing countries are the backbone of food security. It is most
unfortunate that the role of women in agriculture has not been highlighted.

From time immemorial, women have been working at homes,

fields, factories and various work places. But still most they are not either in
the past or at present recognized as workers in the economic sense of the
term. The multiple roles played and the productive input made by women in
terms of work hours contributed or equivalent income generated in the
family are neither attended nor recorded. There is greater involvement of
women under various agricultural operations along with domestic work.

Rural Indian women are extensively involved in agricultural

activities. However, the nature and extent of their involvement differ with
the variation in agricultural production varies with the land-owing status of
farm house-holds. Their roles range from managers to landless labourers.
In overall farm production, women’s average contribution is estimated at
55-66 per cent much higher in certain regions. Women play considerable
role in various activities such as pre-sowing and post-sowing operations
and transplanting, ploughing, application of manure and fertilizers,
intercultural operations. Women role was reported maximum in hoeing and
weeding practices, harvesting, threshing and post harvesting operations.

Now a day, it is accepted fact that, women play a significant

role and crucial role in agricultural development and allied fields including in
the in the main crop production, livestock production, horticulture, post-
harvest operations, agro/social forestry, fisheries etc. The nature and
extent of women’s involvement in the agriculture, no doubt, varies greatly
from region to region. Even within a region their involvement varies widely
among different ecological sub-zones, farming systems, castes, classes
and stages in the family cycle. But regardless of these variations, there is
hardly any activity in agricultural production, except ploughing in which
women are not actively involved. Studies on women in agriculture
conducted in India and other developing and under developed countries all
point to the conclusion that women contribute far more to agricultural
production than has generally been acknowledged. Recognition of their
3
crucial role in agriculture should not obscure the fact that farm women
continue to be concerned with their primary functions as wives, mothers
and homemakers.

Despite their importance to agricultural production, women

face severe handicaps. They are in fact the largest group of landless
labourers with little real security in case of break-up of the family owing to
death or divorce; inheritance laws and customs discriminate against them;
land reform and settlement programmes usually give sole title and hence
the security needed for obtaining production credits to the husband.
Agricultural development programmes are usually planned by men and
aimed at men. It may not be out of place to mention here that considering
their dual responsibilities within and outside the home, it would be in the
fitness of things that more and more in the village training is organized for
rural farm women to suit their convenience with due realization that
institutional training is important in its own place. In order that farm woman
get a fair deal at the hands of change agents, one of the remedial
measures that needs to be undertaken is to induct a sizeable programmes
of well-trained women personnel in training arid extension programmes of
agricultural development agencies at all levels and more so at the grass
root level.

Woman have played continue key role in the conservation of

basic life support system such as land, water, flora and fauna. They have
protected the health of soil through organic recycling and promoted crop
security through the maintenance of varietal diversity and genetic
resistance. Therefore, without the total intellectual and physical
participation of women, it will not be possible to popularize alternative
systems of land management to shifting cultivation, arrest gene and soil
erosion and promote the care of the soil and health of economic plants and
farm animal.

4
1.2 Need and importance of study

The role of women has been widely accepted but it is most

unfortunate that the extent of involvement, nature and level of participation,
decision making and planning about farm activities performed by rural
women in agriculture has not been highlighted. Women already been
playing a crucial and important role in agriculture and could even play more
important role for more agricultural development. Rural women are integral
part of all women’s development plans. Very few research studies have
attempted to study their life style and involvement in farm activities. The
success of programme is mainly depending on the active involvement of
rural women in proper direction. The study will provide the generalization
on how they are involved in farm planning, decision making and adoption
process of farming.

Therefore, it is essential to recognize the current position of

rural women involvement in agricultural field, roles played by them, the
different drudgeries and constraints faced by them to be given for their
improvement. With this background the study on rural women involvement
in farm activities was undertaken with following objectives.

1.3 Specific objectives

1. To study the personal, socio-economic, communicational and

psychological characteristics of the rural women.

2. To study the involvement of rural women in farm activities.

3. To study the relationship between selected characteristics of the rural

women and their involvement in farm activities.

4. To study the constraints faced by the rural women in farm activities

5. To study the drudgery faced by the rural women in performing farm

activities.

5
1.4 Scope and limitations of the study

Involvement of rural women in farm activities is an important

process while solving the problems about farm aspect. Keeping in mind,
the involvement of rural women in farm activities, the present study was
intended to bring out the detailed analysis of farm activities of rural women
with regards their adoption, decision making and planning. The study also
attempts to analysed the relation of socio-economic and psychological
characteristics of rural women with their involvement in farm activities.

The findings of the present study were helpful to the planners,

administrators and extension agencies who are directly involved in the
process of agricultural development. The researcher was also made an
attempt to study the relationship of selected variables with their extent of
involvement and drudgeries and problems faced by rural women in farm
activities.

This being a student research work, it has following limitations:

1. This study has confined to 10 villages of Akola and Akot Tahsil of Akola
district.

2. The findings of the study were based on the responses expressed by

the respondents. Therefore, the objectivity of the data would be limited
to the opinion expressed by them.

3. As the study was limited to rural women and data will be collected from
120 respondents. Therefore, limited size of sample may be limitation of
the sample of study.

1.5 Hypothesis of the study

Hypothesis is an assumption or scientific proportion which can

be put to test for its validity.

Keeping the objective of the study in view, the following

research hypothesis was formed on relationship of different characteristics
with respondent’s participation in farm and allied activities. While

6
formulating the hypothesis, the variables are determined on the basis of
review of literature.

The hypothesis for the present study was set up and

presented in ‘null’ form (Ho).

1. There is no significant relationship between the personal, socio-

economic, communicational and psychological characteristics of rural
farm women with their involvement in farm activities.

1.6 Organization of the thesis

The report of the present study has been presented in five

major chapters. In the first chapter, has introduce. The objective of the
study, need and importance, scope and limitations of the study has been
described.

In second chapter the theoretical framework is given. It

comprises related literature and finding of various research studied
conducted at different location and in varied type of situation.

The methodology of the study has been discussed in third

chapter. It includes study location, population and sample of the study,
tools and techniques use for data collection. Procedure used for
measurement of variables and analysis of data.

The fourth chapter is socio-economic status of the district. This

chapter gives information about location, topography and soil, climate and
rainfall, land use pattern, cropping pattern, crop season and crop rotation,
input supply and lastly the market facilities available in Akola district.

The fifth chapter is devoted to the finding of the study along

with the discussion thereon.

The sixth chapter “Summary and Conclusions” which included

not only the study result but also other details has been summarized in
brief and suitable conclusion drawn based on the obtained findings.

7
 The seventh chapter Implications emanated from the present
findings have been presented in to two parts i.e. Action implication and
Research implications. The action implications are connected with the
guidelines and suggestion for extension personals, policy makers and other
related individuals. The implications with regards to research included
suitable guideline and suggestion for further research base on the
experiences during the course of conducting study and conclusion.

Lastly the literature cited followed by vita, appendix (Research

Questionnaire) at the end.

8
 CHAPTER II

REVIEW OF LITERATURE

Research is a continuous process for any scientific

investigation, previous findings provide basis to the research. The review of
literature is one of the important aspects in the research process. It helps
the researcher to keep her work going in right and appropriate direction.
Hence, an attempt has been made to review the researches and the same
have been presented in the following sequence. Similarly, the hypotheses
framed and conceptual model developed have also been delineated, as
follows:

2.1 Independent Variables

2.1.1 Age

Bimla [Link].(2004) reported that majority of the women

respondents (76.05%) were in middle aged category.

Rathore and Trikha (2006) reveal that majority of the

respondents were from middle age group category.

Rupanavar (2008) observed that significant relationship

between the age and involvement of women in economic development of
family farm.

Butt and Hassan (2010) observed that majority (81.60%) of

respondents were in the age group of 20-40 years, followed by 12 per cent
and 6.40 per cent of women in the age group of 41-60 and above 60 years
respectively.

Chayal and Dhaka (2010) this study analyzes that

participation of farm women in agriculture was significantly affected by age.

Megha Landage (2011) indicated that 40.00 per cent of

women respondents were young age group i.e. up to 35 years. While 36.67

9
per cent of women respondents belonged to middle age group and only
23.33 per cent of women belonged to old age.

Shital Girde (2012) observed that 47.50 per cent of women

respondents were in young age group i.e. up to 35 years. While, 43.33 per
cent of the women belonged to middle age group and only 9.17 per cent of
women respondents were belonged to old age group.

Jyoti Patil (2013) observed that most of the respondents

belonged to middle age group, having experienced ups and downs in her
life for considerable period.

Lahe (2015) concluded that 53.00 per cent of the respondents

were from middle age group, followed by old age group (33.00%) and
young age group (14.00%).

2.1.2 Education

Narmatha [Link]. (2009) observed that 48.00 per cent of the

respondents had high school education, followed by 20 per cent had
middle school, 12 per cent each had primary school and college education
and only 8.00 per cent had illiterate.

Geeta (2010) observed that 50 per cent of the Seri culturist

women were illiterate followed by 23.00 per cent primary level and high
school level each and 4.00 per cent had higher education.

Kavita Khade (2011) observed that majority (39.00 per cent) of

the respondents in study area were having education 8 to 10 class
standard or high school level

Rathod [Link]. (2011) observed that 53.00 per cent of the

respondents were illiterate and 46.67 per cent of respondents were
illiterate.

Ujwala Jadhav (2011) revealed nearly one third (32.14%) of

SHG women member were educated up to high school followed by 23.57
percent were educated middle school.
10
 Megha Landage (2011) concluded that nearly one third
(29.17%) of women respondents were educated up to high school level,
followed by 20.83 per cent of respondents were educated up to middle
school, college (20.00%) and primary school (18.33%) respectively, and
11.67 per cent of women respondents were illiterate.

Chayal [Link].(2013) were observed that 56.67 per cent

respondents were illiterate and 27 per cent were litterate.

Jyoti Patil (2013) concluded that nearly half (45.83%) of the

women respondents were educated up to middle school, followed by
(29.17 %) of the respondents educated up to primary school level, high
school level (15.83%) and remaining (02.50%) respondents were found
illiterate.

Lahe (2015) revealed that 42.00 per cent of the respondents

had middle school level followed by 21.00 per cent of the respondents with
high school level.

2.1.3 Annual income

Vidya Gunjkar (2005) observed that more than half (52.67%)

of the respondents were having annual income of between Rs. 20,000/- to
Rs. 40,000/- Whereas, 25.33 per cent of respondents had annual income
of above Rs. 60,000/-.

Vidya Tayde (2006) observed that more than half (54.18%) of

respondents were having annual income between Rs. 20,001 to 40,000.

Deshmukh et al. (2007) revealed that majority (81.59%) of

respondents were fall under medium annual income level having
Rs10,000/- to 87,0000/- annum.

Komal Kashid (2008) indicated that two third of respondents

(67.50%) had annual income above Rs. 60,000/- whereas (20.80%) of
them had income between Rs. 40,000/- to Rs. 60,000/-.

11
 Nita Divekar (2010) concluded that majority (75.00%) of
women respondents had annual income between Rs.23,000 to Rs.66,
000/-.

Kavita Khade (2011) indicated that majority of respondents

66.00 per cent had their annual income in range between Rs. 50,001 to Rs.
1,00,000/-. It was followed by 18.00 per cent respondents who had their
income in range between Rs. 1,00,000 and above 16.00 per cent
respondents had income up to 50,000/-

Megha Landge (2011) concluded that 61.67 per cent

respondents belonged to low annual income group, while 28.33 per cent
respondents had medium annual income and 10.00 per cent respondents
had high annual income.

Shital Girde (2012) revealed that majority (51.66%) of the

respondents belonged to medium level annual income groups having
annual income of RS. 75000/- to Rs. 1,50,000/-.

2.1.4 Family type

Vidya Tayde (2006) observed that majority of women

respondent were from nuclear family and rest 43.33 per cent were from
joint families.

Komal Kashid (2008) observed that over half of respondents

(55.00%) were from nuclear type of family and (45.00%) were from joint
type of family.

Chayal and Dhaka (2010) observed that 60 per cent of women

respondents lived in nuclear family and 40 per cent of women lived in joint
family.

Geeta (2010) reported that 81.00 per cent of the respondents

had nuclear type of family, whereas 19.00 per cent of women respondents
belonged to joint type of family.

12
 Rathod et al. (2011) reported that nearly two third 65.00 per
cent of the respondents lived in joint families, while 35.00 per cent lived in
nuclear type of family.

Ujwala Jadhav (2011) observed that nearly two third of the

women respondents (65.00%) were observed from nuclear type of family
and 35.00 percent respondents were from joint type of family.

Kruti Thaker and Ahlavat (2012) revealed that majority of

respondents 76.00 per cent had joint type of family and 24.00 per cent of
respondents had nuclear type of family.

Jyoti Patil (2013) concluded that more than half (60.83 per
cent) of the respondents were from joint family type and remaining 39.17
per cent of them belonged to the nuclear family type.

Lad and Deshmukh (2014) concluded that majority (65.33%)

of the respondents were belonged to joint family and 34.67 per cent of
respondents were belonged to nuclear type of family.

2.1.5 Family size

Huassain and Mishra (2002) found that 66.70 per cent of the
respondents were belonged to big family and 33.30 per cent of them
belonged to small family.

Purnima (2004) found that 56.25 per cent of the respondents

had small size of family.

Varsha Rathod (2006) observed that majority of the Banjara

farm women (56.67%) had medium size of family (4 to 6 members).

Rathod (2007) observed that majority slightly more than half

of the farmers (66.67%) had low family size, followed by medium (18%)
and large (15.33%).

Jayashri Yasankar (2010) found that 68.89 per cent rural

respondents belonged to medium sized family and 30.37 per cent belonged

13
to large size family and very few i.e. 0.74 per cent were belonged to small
size family.

Nita Divekar (2010) observed that near about three fourth

(68.23 per cent) of the women respondents were from medium size of
family having maximum 5 members in the family.

Chinchmalatpure [Link].(2011) observed that above two third

(68.23%) of the women respondents were from medium size family
followed by 22.00 per cent belonged to small size family respectively.

Ujwala Jadhav (2011) observed that, little more than half of

respondents (51.43) had medium family size with 5 to 8 members.
Megha Thakare (2013) concluded that majority (54.00%) of
farm women had medium size of family (4 to 6 members).

2.1.6 Land holding

Sarada (2004) noticed that majority of rural women

respondents (56.71%) belonged to small land holding.

Varsha Rathod (2006) concluded that 50 per cent of

respondents were possessed small land holding.

Apurva Goel and Solanki (2007) concluded that 50.00 per cent
respondents had land holding up to 1.2 ha.

Rupanvar (2008) found that majority (50.37%) of women from

small land holding category had medium to high medium level of
involvement in economic management.

Nita Divekar (2010) observed that majority (50.86%) of women

respondents in the study areas were grouped in the marginal category of
land holding.

Shital Girde (2012) concluded that majority (31.37%) of

women respondents in the study areas were grouped in semi-medium
category, holding land between 2.01 to 4.00 ha.

14
 Chayal [Link] (2013) revealed that majority of respondents have
medium size of land holding (50.84%) followed by small (35.00%) and
large (14.16%) size of land holding.

Kruti Thaker and Ahlavat (2012) revealed that majority

(74.50%) of respondents were having land holding up to 1.00 ha.

Jyoti Patil (2013) observed that exactly half of (50.00%) of the

respondents belonged to medium land holding i.e. 4.01 to 10.00 ha
followed by 18.33 per cent respondents belonged to semi-medium category
i.e.2.01 to 4.00, whereas only 5.00 per cent of the respondents were
marginal land holders.

2.1.7 Family occupation

Deshmukh [Link].(2007) observed that majority of respondents

(96.52%) having agriculture as their main occupation.

Dhobale (2010) noted that 64.00 per cent of respondents were

having Agriculture as a main occupation.

Tekale (2012) revealed that majority (58.00%) of the

respondents had agriculture as their main occupation whereas one fourth
(25.00%) of respondents have agriculture and labour as their occupation.

Lad and Deshmukh (2014) revealed that exactly half (50.00%)

of the respondents had farming as a main occupation, 20.00 per cent of
respondents had farming with labour as a occupation.

Bhople [Link]. (2015) observed that farm labour is the main

occupation of 57.00 per cent of the respondents, followed by 53.00 per
cent of the respondent’s farm labourers and agriculture as the occupation
and none of the respondents have agriculture plus subsidiary occupation.

Mankar [Link]. (2015) observed that agriculture was the main

occupation of 77.33 per cent of the respondents, followed by 13.50 per
cent of respondents had agriculture + labour occupation and 4.34 per cent

15
of respondents engaged in agriculture+ service and meager per cent
respondents had agriculture+ business (2.83%).

2.1.8 Social participation

Vidya Tayde (2006) observed that majority (65.38%)of the

respondents had medium level of participation.

Mankar [Link].(2007) observed that majority of the respondents

had medium level of social participation.

Subrahamanyashwari and Reddy (2007) concluded during

study on profit of rural women entrepreneurs involved in dairying that, the
social participation of dairy women among these categories was observed
as small (83.50%), medium (71.00%) and large (66.50%).

Komal Kashid (2008) concluded that majority (53.33%) of

women respondents of SHG’s were found in the medium category of social
participation.

Jayashree Yesankar (2010) revealed that 48.15 per cent of

rural women respondents showed no participation in social activities while
30.37 per cent and 21.48 per cent of rural women showed participation in
one organization and more than one organization respectively.

Megha Landge (2011) concluded that social participation in

various government and non-government organizations was medium
(60.00%) categories as the women were engaged more in farm and farm
related activities having no time to participate in social organizations.

Rani Kale (2012) observed that majority of the respondents

(64.00 per cent) had medium social participation.

Shital Girde (2012) concluded that nearly half (49.16%) of the

women respondents had low level of social participation, followed by
46.67% per cent had medium level of social participation and 4.17% had
high extent of social participation.

16
 Swati Gobade (2014) concluded that nearly equal proportion
of the respondents had medium (41.00%) and low level (40.00%) of social
participation, followed by 19.00 per cent of the respondents had high level
of social participation.

2.1.9 Sources of information

Kadam (2004) observed that 47.97 per cent of respondents

had used information source up to medium extent, only 17.57 per cent
respondents could make high use of information sources for obtaining
information.

Vidya Tayde (2006) concluded that 60 per cent respondents

have used medium level of sources of information, followed by 23.33 per
cent and 16.67 per cent who had used low and high source of information.

Deshmukh [Link].(2007) observed that majority of respondents

fall under medium sources of information (69.09 per cent). However,
remaining had high sources of information i.e. 16.66 per cent and only
14.23 per cent of the respondents showed low source of information.

Chavai [Link].(2008) stated that farm women should be

motivated to listen and watch the media programs by making them aware
about home craft and practices and developed favourable attitude towards
scientific farming.

Komal Kashid (2008) revealed that nearly fifty per cent of the
respondents (44.16%) were in high category of source of information
followed by 39.17 per cent and 16.67 per cent of them having medium and
less access to sources of information.

Ashvini Shintre (2009) observed that more than half of the

respondents (52.50%) were in medium category of sources of information
followed by 34.16 per cent and 13.34 per cent of them having high and less
access to sources of information, respectively.

17
 Kavita Khade (2011) found that majority of the respondents
(67.00 per cent) had medium category of sources of information

Shital Girde (2012) revealed that majority (64.17%) of the

women respondents were in medium category of source of information,
followed by 22.50 per cent of the women respondents had low and high
access to sources of information.

Tekale (2012) observed that majority of rural women (52.00%)

had low level of sources of information, followed by 34.00 per cent of
respondents had medium level of sources of information. whereas, 15 per
cent of respondents had high level of sources of information.

Swati Gobade (2014) concluded that majority of the

respondents (68.00%) had medium sources of information and the equal
per cent of the respondents (16.00%) had low and high sources of
information about agriculture.

2.1.10 Extension contact

Ritu Jain [Link].(2003) pointed that about 44.00 per cent of the
respondents had high level of participation in group action, followed by
30.00 and 25.00 per cent women having medium and low participation in
group action respectively.

Deshmukh [Link]. (2007) observed that majority of respondents

had medium (79.51 %) extension contact; while 13.88 per cent had high
and 6.59 per cent had low extension contact

Nita Divekar (2010) observed that majority (37.50%) of women

respondents had either no or low contact with extension worker in getting
information regarding farm and family activities.

Jayashree Yesankar (2010) reported that 56.30 per cent of

rural women had no extension contact while 42.96 per cent of rural women
had low or medium level of extension contact.

18
 Megha Landge (2011) concluded that majority of women
respondents had either no or low contacts with extension worker n getting
information regarding paddy farm management.

Usha Rani (2013) observed that high level (68.38%) of contact

of respondents with extension agency and mass media exposure and
economic motivation.

2.1.11 Time spent in agriculture

Chauhan [Link].(2005) found that women workers spent

substantial time in house hold activities on the average, they spent of their
time in food preparation (33.12%), in child care (13.25%), 13.25 per cent in
personal activities and remaining 40.38 per cent spent time for agriculture
activities.

Kavitha and Swathilakshmi (2006) concluded that above one

third of women spent 34.60 per cent of their time on farm allied activities,
while 65.40 per cent of the time was devoted to home activity.

Rajula Shanthy (2010) concluded that on an average a farm

women spend 7.30 hours doing work in farm in case of paid labour with 45
minutes to one hour break in between. They spend 1.30 -2.00 hours on an
average caring for animal regarding water fetching.

Shital Girde (2012) concluded that 67.50 per cent of women

respondents had spent moderate (8-10 hours) time for farm and allied
activities, whereas 20.00 per cent of respondents had spent less time and
12.50 per cent of respondents had spent more time for farm and allied
activities.

Kavita Baliyan (2014) observed that on an average 83.5

person days are put in by family labour in wheat cultivation per hectare.
The contribution of female and male members is 26.2 person days and
52.9 person days respectively.

19
2.1.12 Knowledge

Anita [Link].(1991) reported that most of the women were

lacking knowledge about soil testing (98.15%), fungicides used (95.37%),
weedicides and insecticides used (98.61%) and some women having
knowledge about appropriate plant to plant distance, fertilizers used for
paddy, improved varieties of paddy and about various agricultural
implements.

Rajni Chauhan (2001) has revealed that 57.00 per cent

women had moderate knowledge (51-75%) and 41.20 per cent had less
involvement in seeking knowledge. While very few women respondents
had very less or high involvement in seeking knowledge.

Deshmukh [Link].(2007) observed that 33.15 per cent of

respondents had knowledge of integrated pest management in cotton crop
and 11.81 per cent respondents had adopted this technology.

Kavita Khade (2011) reported that maximum (42.00%) of the

respondents were found in the category of the medium level of knowledge
about improved cultivation practices of marigold, followed by the 34.00 per
cent respondents who were in high category of knowledge, whereas one
fourth (24.00%) of the respondents had low knowledge level.

Maya Kumari (2010) reported that majority (77.33%) of

respondents had low knowledge level about nutrition practises followed by
medium [Link] 29.66% of respondents had knowledge about nutrition
practices.

Mohammad Uddin (2014) observed that information used by

rural women was mainly informal i.e. they got knowledge from their
relatives and friends.

20
2.2 Dependent Variables

2.2.1 Involvement in planning

Women had involvement in planning process of various farm

activities but in some cases not at individual level.

Anonymous (1987-88) found that women participated in

planning process of choices of species, raising of nurseries, plantation of
trees and sharing benefits.

Anita [Link].(1991) revealed that women were not involved

substantial at the individual level for various activities. From the above
findings, it can be concluded that women had involvement in planning
process of various farm activities but in some cases not at individual level.

Rajni Chauhan (2001) has revealed that majority of

respondents i.e. 81.20 per cent women had low involvement in planning
which was quite obvious in context to existing situation of rural women
respondents (26-50 per cent) and that 17-60 per cent women respondents
had up to 25 per cent involvement in planning of agriculture and allied
activities.

2.2.2 Involvement in decision making:

Rajni Chauhan (2001) revealed that 56.00 per cent of women

respondents were involved in decision making to the extent of 26-50 per
cent i.e. involvement of women was relatively less, 43.20 per cent women
had up to 25 per cent involvement in decision making, while a very few
proportion of women respondents had no or moderate involvement in
decision making.

Pravina [Link] (2005) observed that rural women relied on joint

decision: where as some respondents were self-reliant in deciding few
aspects like gap filling, drying, storage, she also concluded that farm
women did not prefer to take self-decision especially in all the market
related activities.

21
 Singh and Poonam Sharma (2005) observed that in Nagaland,
joint decisions were largely observed in planning, whereas women took
managerial and instrumental decisions of farming.

Damisha and Yohana (2007) reported that older women

participated more (76.66%) in decision making process in the different
areas of agriculture than their younger group.

Deshmukh [Link].(2007) reported that 47 percent of women

have been consulted during the decision making process.

Butt and Hassan (2010) reported that 47 per cent of women

have been consulted during decision making process.

Megha Landge (2011) observed that majority of women

respondents 67.50 per cent had performed medium level of involvement in
decision making followed by 20.00 per cent of women respondents who
had performed high involvement in decision making and 12.50 per cent of
respondents had performed low involvement in decision making.

Shital Girde (2012) observed that majority (63.33%) of women

respondents had medium level of decision making ability about farm and
allied activities followed by 21.67% of women respondents who had low
decision making ability and 15.00% of respondents had high decision
making ability.

Jyoti Patil (2013) concluded that majority (52.50%) of the

respondents had medium level of participation in decision making in
farming. In other words, the tribal farm women were getting half share in
decision making on farming.

Singh [Link].(2014) reported that 40.00 per cent of women have

been consulted during the decision making process.

2.2.3 Involvement in adoption:

Rajni Chauhan (2001) revealed that 56.80 per cent of women

has less involvement in adoption i.e. up to 26-50 per cent level, 41.60 per
22
cent women respondents had up to 25 per cent involvement in adoption of
practices of agriculture while 1.20 and 0.40 per cent of women respondents
had no involvement in adoption and high involvement in adoption
respectively.

Deshmukh [Link].(2007) revealed that most of the respondents

i.e. 81.94 per cent were falling under low adoption level, while remaining
respondents i.e. 9.38 and 8.68 per cent were high and medium adoption
level, respectively.

Raj (2009) noted that majority of the farmers had poor

adoption of good variety, soil, seed and seedling treatment, fertilizer
treatment, use of micro nutrients, plant protection measures and post-
harvest operations of turmeric.

Meshram (2010) found that majority of the respondents

(45.00%) were low medium category in respect of adoption of soil testing
recommendations by the farmers.

Jyoti Patil (2013) concluded that majority (42.00%) of the

respondents were grouped in medium level of adoption of soil test
recommendations.

Ovhar (2013) observed that the majority of the respondents

partially adopted the improved cultivation practices like use of variety
(78.88%), quantity of manures to be apply in field (78.79%), seed treatment
(70.00%), quantity of fertilizer (55.56%), weedicides used (44.45%) etc.

Krunal [Link]. (2014) reported that around 65.53% of rural

women adopting dairy farm practices.

2.4 Association between personal, socio-economic and psychological

characteristics and involvement of rural women in farm activities

The association between the selected characteristics and

involvement of women in farm activities has been presented as follows.

23
 Independent variable Respondents Nature of
relationship
1)Age
Alka Patki Role performance of Non-significant
(2000) women in animal
husbandry practices.
Ansari [Link]. (2001) Adoption of plant Negatively significant
protection measures of
rice by rural women.
Rekha Gotmare (2006) Needs in respect of Non-significant
farming and related
activities.
Rupanvar (2008) Involvement of women in Positively Significant
economic management of
family farm.
Shubhashri Mallik (2016) Livelihood status of Negatively significant
women in Bhadrak district
of Orissa
2) Education
Alka Patki Role performance of Negatively significant
(2000) women in animal
husbandry practices.
Chaitanyakumari [Link] Income generation among Negatively significant
(2003) tribal women.
Rupanvar (2008) Involvement of women in Positively significant
economic management of
family farm.
Shubhashri Mallik Livelihood status of Positively significant
(2016) women in Bhadrak district
of Orissa.
3)Annual income
Choudhary (1998) Decision making on farm Positively significant
aspects by farm women.
Alka patki (2000) Role performance of rural Negatively significant
women in animal
husbandry activities.
Rekha Gotmare (2006) Needs in respect of Positively significant
farming and related
activities.
Malve (2007) Participation of women in Positively Significant
income generating
activities of the family.

24
4) Family size
Alka patki (2000) Role performance of rural Non-significant
women in animal
husbandry practices.

Shubhangi Parshuramkar Interest and participation Non- significant

(2003) of rural women in
agriculture activities.
Megha Landge (2011) Involvement of rural Negatively significant
women in paddy farm
management
5) Family Type
Shital Girde (2012) Participation of farm Positively significant
women in farm and allied
activities.
6) Land Holding
Archana Rewatkar (2003) Involvement of farm Negatively significant
women in decision
making in farming.
Shubhangi Parshuramkar Interest and participation Positively significant
(2003) of rural women in
agriculture activities.
Ughade (2006) Participation of small and Positively significant
marginal farm women in
agriculture and allied
activities.
7) Family occupation
Kadam (2004) Adoption of goat Positively significant
husbandry practices by
goat keepers of SHG
Tekale (2012) Participation of rural Positively significant
women in decision
making process in
agriculture.

8)Social participation
Vijayalayan (2001) Awareness of knowledge Positively significant
and adoption of eco-
friendly [Link].
Megha Landge (2011) Involvement of rural
women in paddy farm
managemen.t
Shital Girde (2012) Participation of farm Non-significant

25
 women in farm and allied
activities.
9)source of information
Kadam (2004) Adoption of goat Positively significant
husbandry practices by
goat keepers of SHG.
Kavita Khade (2011) Role performance of farm Positively significant
women engaged in
floriculture
Shital Girde (2012) Participation of farm Positively significant
women in farm and allied
activities
10) Extension contact
Megha Landge (2011) Involvement of rural Non- significant
women in paddy farm
management.
11) Time spent in
agriculture
Shital Girde (2012) Participation of farm Positively significant
women in farm and allied
activities.
12) Knowledge
Rajni Chauhan(2001) Involvement of women in Positively Significant
national watershed
development programme.
Kadam (2004) Adoption of goat Positively significant
husbandry practices by
goat keepers of SHG.
Kavita Khade (2011) Role performance of farm Positively significant
women engaged in
floriculture.

2.4 Constraints

Constraints are two major factors that affect the actual rate of
involvement of rural women in farm activities. The reviews related to it have
been presents as below.

Sethi (2003) reported that political, ideological and cultural

factors cause increase marginalization of women despite their high rate of
work participation and keep them out of decision making.

26
 Gill [Link]. (2005) concluded that most (68.87%) of the farm
women faced problem such as lack of technical knowledge about dairy
farming, insufficient financing and labour resources.

Ughade (2006) listed out that difficulty in performing certain

agricultural operation (56.00%), little or no rest period (54.67%), exertion to
body due to over work (49.33%), working under unfavorable condition
(34.00%), no fix hours of working (26.67%), and difficulties to spare time for
farm operation due to house hold work (25.32%), were some of the
problems faced by the farm women.

Meshram (2008) observed that problems or difficulties faced

by the individual paddy grower in adoption of recommended paddy
cultivation technology, no availability of labour (56.66%) followed by non-
availability of FYM in village (25.33%) and non-availability of own bullocks
and implements (18.66%).

Megha Landge (2011) observed that 20.83% women

respondents were received secondary status in decision making process,
32.50% women respondents could not spare time for farm operations due
to their domestic work whereas 24.17 % women respondents they could
not perform every farm operation and 10% of respondents had inadequate
knowledge of farm decision making.

Shital Girde (2012) observed that the burden of family work

was the major constraints faced by majority (82.50%) of the respondents.
Lack of technical knowledge about farming activities (57.50%), frequent
health problems (50.00%), poor economic condition (41.67%) were some
of the major constraints faced by the women respondents while performing
farm and allied activities.

2.5 Drudgery

Jyotsna Tathod (2000) observed that the dependent variables

were found to be significantly correlated with drudgery faced by the
respondents.

27
 Sarda and Sudarshan Rao (2000) reported that the degree of
drudgery of tribal women was very high (100.00%) in hand weeding and
transplanting, harvesting (87.50%), making bundles (86.66%) etc.

Varsha rathod (2006) concluded that majority (100.00%) of the

respondents had high level of drudgery faced in agril.

2.6 Conceptual model

Any systematic studies are based on sound theoretical model.

A researcher develops a model for the purpose of her study, since it helps
in relational thinking about the research problem and represents the
conceptualization of concepts used in research study.

Based on the discussion on foregoing review of the past

research studies, a conceptual model has been developed for the present
investigation and the same have been shown in fig.1.

28
 Independent variable Dependent variable

[Link]
2. Education
[Link] income
[Link] in planning
[Link] type
2. Involvement in decision
[Link] size
making
[Link] holding
3. Involvement in adoption
[Link] occupation
4. Overall Involvement
[Link] participation
[Link] of
information
[Link] contact
[Link] spent in
agriculture
[Link]

Fig.1: Conceptual model

29
 CHAPTER III

METHODOLOGY

The researcher has to develop and use his own research

methods and tools during the course of investigation. The main purpose of
this chapter is to describe the research methods and techniques used in
the present study. The various aspects included in this chapter have been
described with relevant details under following heads.

3.1 Locale of study

3.2 Research design

3.3 Sample and sampling procedure

3.4 Preparation of interview schedule

3.5 Collection of data

3.6 Variables, operational definition and their measurements

3.7 Constraints in the involvement in farm activities

3.8 Drudgery faced by the respondents

3.9 Analysis of data and Statistical methods used

3.1 Locale of the study

The present study was carried out in Akola and Akot

panchayat samiti of Akola district of Vidarbha region in Maharashtra state.

3.2 Research design

In the present investigation, it is emphasized to ascertain the

involvement of rural women in farm activities. Hence, an exploratory
research design of social research was used in the present investigation for
collecting the pertaining facts from the rural women.

3.3 Sample and sampling procedure

The sampling plan was adopted for this research study has
been delineated as follows.
30
 a) Selection of Tahsil:

To study the involvement of women in farm activities, two

tahsils viz. Akola and Akot from Akola Districts where more number of farm
women or population engaged in farm activities was purposively selected.

Table1: Selection of Tahsil on the basis of population of women

District Tahsil Women Population
Akola 318,619
Akot 110,070
Akola Balapur 80,505
Telhara 73,316
Murtijapur 75,880
Barshitakli 63,308
Patur 59,166
Total 7 462,245

b) Selection of villages:

Among selected two Tahsils, five villages were selected

randomly from each Tahsil. Total ten villages from district was selected
randomly.

Table 2: Selection of villages from two selected tahsils

Sl. No. Tahsils Villages No. of

Respondents
1) Akola 1)Babhulgaon 12
2)Dongargaon 12
3)Shivani 12
4)Washimba 12
5)Borgaon 12
2) Akot 1)Lohari 12
2)Mundgaon 12
3)Tandulwadi 12
4)Sonbardi 12
5)Dharel 12
Total 2 Tahsils 10 villages 120

31
32
C) Selection of respondents:

Out of 10 villages, 12 respondents from each village were

selected with the help of disproportionate random sampling method. So
that 120 respondents from 10 villages will be constituted as a total sample
of study.

3.4 Preparation of interview schedule

The interview schedule was constructed by formulating

relevant questions, in accordance with the study objectives. The schedule
was developed in English language.

3.5 Pre testing of interview Schedule

In order to detect the mistakes and short falls and to achieve

clarity and practicability of the schedule, it was pre tested with 5 farm
women and 5 non-farm women. These respondents were not included in
sample.

The data collected from them were thoroughly examined;

necessary modification was incorporated in the schedule. The nature of
some questions was modified and thus, the selected schedule was
finalized and requisite copies were cyclostyled for collecting data from
respondents.

3.6 Collection of data

The personal interview method used for collection of data. For

easy approach to farm women, the help of Sarpanch, Mahila Mandal and
the Extension personnel were sought. Before actually procuring the
information, the researcher introduced herself and explained about the
objectives and purpose of present study.

3.7 Variables, operational definition and their measurements

The operational definitions, procedure adopted for scoring and

categorization of both independent and dependent variables are explained
in the sub section.

33
Table 3: Variables and their measurements

Sl. No. Name of Measurement procedure

Variables
A) Independent variables
1. Age Chronological age of an individual respondents in
completed years at the time of interview was
considered as score.
2. Education the years of formal schooling completed by the
respondents in completed year.
3. Annual income Gross earning of an individual respondents and his
family member in terms of rupees received from all
sources in a year..
4. Family type Whether an individual respondent belonged to joint
or nuclear family.
5. Family Size Number of member in the family of the respondents.
6. Occupational the main occupation of the respondents used as
status main source of income. The scoring and
categorization was made as per the scoring
procedure developed by the Pakhmode(2015).
7. Land holding Land possessed by an individual for cultivation of
crop.
8. Social Participation of respondents in formal and informal
participation organization .It was measured in terms of
membership in formal and informal organization.
9. Sources of Degree of different personal, mass media and
Information impersonal sources used by the individual women
respondent for obtaining information about different
farm and allied activities.

10. Extension Awareness of the respondents about various

contact extension agencies and their frequency of contact
with them to enquire information or seek advice
related to farming.
11. Time spent in Actual time spent in hours per day for participating
Agriculture and performing the specific farm activities by the
rural women.
12. Knowledge A teacher made knowledge test was developed and
knowledge index was worked out.

34
B) Dependent variable
1. Involvement in Involvement of women respondent in planning
planning of different farm activities. The scoring and
categorization was made as per the scoring
procedure developed by the Rajni Chauhan
(2001).
2. Involvement in Involvement of women respondents in making
decision making decision in all the important farm activities and
allied activities. Scoring procedure as followed
by the Rajni Chauhan(2001).
3. Involvement in Adoption means a decision to continue full use
adoption of the modern techniques in farm activities by
the women respondents, help in adoption of
actual adoption practices is indicated the
association and involvement of a farm women in
adoption of the related practices. Scoring
procedure as followed by the Rajni
Chauhan(2001).
4. Overall involvement It is the cumulative outcome of three selected
components of involvement viz. Planning,
decision making and adoption was measured.

A) Independent Variables

1. Age

It refers to chronological age of respondents in completed

years at the time of interview.

Actual chronological age of the respondents in completed

years was categorized as follows:

Sl. No. Age Years

1 Young Up to 35

2 Middle 36 to 50

3 Old Above 50

35
2. Education

It refers to the years of formal schooling completed by the

respondents in completed year.

The categorization was done on the basis of stages of

education as follows:

Sl. No. Category Score

1. Illiterate 0

2. Can read only 1

3. Can read and write 2

4. Primary education 3

5. Middle education 4

6. High school and above 5

3. Annual income

It refers to gross earning of an individual respondents and his

family member in terms of rupees received from all sources in a year. The
respondents were categorised with the help of equal interval method.

[Link] type

It refers to whether an individual respondent belonged to joint

or nuclear family. In the present study, it refers to the whether the
respondent women belong to the nuclear family or joint family.

1. Nuclear Family: A family unit consisting primarily a husband,

wife and their unmarried children.

2. Joint Family: A family unit having at least two married couples,

living in common residence and where the males were related as father-
son or as brother- brothers relation.

36
Plate 1: Interaction with rural women engaged in farm activities

Plate 2: Interaction with rural women’s during collection of data

37
 Sl. No. Family type Score Range

1 Nuclear family 1

2 Joint family 2

[Link] size:

Family size operationally defined as the number of members

in the family of respondents possessed.

The total score was obtained by the addition of number of

family members. One score was given for every member. Based on their
total score, family size will be classified as small, medium, and large as
follows on the basis of equal interval method.

Sl. No. Category Score

1 Small 1-4
2 Medium 5-7
3 Large Above 7

6. Family Occupation

It refers to the main occupation of the respondents used as

main source of income. The scoring and categorization was made as per
the scoring procedure developed by the Pakhmode (2015).

SI. No. Category Score

1. Landless labour(Daily wage earner) 1
2. Agriculture +Labour 2
3. Agriculture 3
4. Agriculture +allied activities 4
5. Agriculture and business (professional / non 5
professional)
6. Agriculture and service (job with monthly salary) 6

38
 7. Land holding

Land holding operationally defined as total hectares of land

possessed by an individual for cultivation of crop. Respondents according
to land holding was categorized as per the Government norms as below.

Sl. No. Categories Land holding (ha.)

1 Marginal Up to 1.00 ha

2. Small 1.01 to 2.00

3. Semi-medium 2.01to 4.00

4. Medium 4.01 to 10.00

5. Large Above 10.00

8. Social participation

Social participation is the participation of respondents in formal

and informal organization. It was measured in terms of membership in formal
and informal organization. The categorization was made by considering the
membership in formal and informal organization and assigned score as given
below.

Sl. No. Category Score

1. Office bearer of formal organization 4

2. Member of formal organization 3

3. Office bearer of informal organization 2

4. Member of informal organization 1

Respondents further grouped into different categories on the

basis of mean and standard deviation into low, medium and high
categories, respectively.

39
9. Sources of information:

It is operationally defined as the degree of different personal,

mass media and impersonal sources used by the individual women
respondent for obtaining information about different farm and allied
activities.

It is conceptually defined as the degree of different personal,

mass media and impersonal and sources used by the individual
respondent.

All possible information sources were listed out and

responses of respondents in three-point continuum with score i.e. Always-
2, Sometimes-1, Never-0 were collected. Then on the basis of total score
obtained respondents were categorized on the basis of mean + standard
deviation into their categories viz. low, medium and high.

10. Extension contact:

It is operationalized as the as the awareness of the respondents

about various extension agencies and their frequency of contact with them
to enquire information or seek advice related to farming.

The variable was quantified by adopting the procedure

followed by Sakharkar (1995).

Sl. No. Extent of contact Score

1 Contacted once in a week 4

2 Contacted once in a fortnight 3

3 Whenever problem arise 2

4 Never contacted 1

11. Time spent in agriculture:

It is operationally defined as the actual time spent in hours

per day for participating and performing the specific farm activities by the
rural women.

40
 The actual hours of time spent for participation in specific
farm activities was considered as time spent score for particular activity of
the individual respondent.

By adding the score of all activities, total score for time spent
in farm activities was calculated. Then the respondents were categorized in
low, medium, high on the basis of mean + standard deviation into their
categories viz. low, medium and high.

Sr. No. Time Spent Levels Score Range (hour)

1. Less Time Up to 6

2. Moderate Time 7-8

3. More Time Above 8

11. Knowledge

English and English (1961) defined knowledge as a body of

understood information possessed by an individual.

Rogers (1983) defined knowledge as a body of facts and

principles accumulated by the mankind in the course of time.

Rogers stated three categories of knowledge i.e. awareness

knowledge, how to knowledge and principle knowledge. In the context
present investigation knowledge refers to the awareness knowledge.

Knowledge has been operationally defined as a body of

information possessed by women respondent about farm activities. The
assumption was more knowledge, more involvement in seeking the
knowledge and hence number of practices known to women indicated the
extent of involvement.

It was measured by teacher made knowledge test consisting

of the various package of practices related with farm development activities
was prepared. For each practice, respondents were received two score for
correct answer and one score was given for incorrect answer, obtained
score was converted in knowledge level index.

41
 The knowledge involvement index was calculated by the
following formula:

Total score of knowledge involvement

obtained by women
Knowledge involvement Index = x100
Maximum obtainable involvement
score of knowledge

Knowledge Involvement was categorized as follows:

Sl. No. Knowledge level Index

1. No knowledge 0.00
2. Very less Up to 25
3. Less 26-50
4. Moderate 51-75
5. High Above 75

B) Dependent variables

Reading (1977) defined involvement as the amount of

attention or atelic evaluative orientation of an actor to an object.

Involvement has been operationally defined as the

involvement of rural women in planning, decision making and adoption of
different farm activities and comprehension of individual women about the
farm activities and their actual participation in farm activities.

1. Involvement in planning

Ray (1991) defined planning as a process which involves

studying the past and present in order to forecast the future and in the light
of that forecast determining the goals to be achieved and what must be
done to achieve them.

It has been operationally defined as involvement of women

respondent in planning of different farm activities.

42
 The respondents were asked whether she was present or not
at the time of planning and contributed to planning of different farm
activities.

One score was given to each positive answer and zero for
negative answer. Following formula was used for calculating the planning
involvement index:

Total score of planning involvement

obtained by women
Planning involvement Index = x100
Maximum obtainable involvement
score of planning

Planning involvement index was categorized as follows:

Sl. No. Planning involvement level Index

1. No planning involvement 0.00

2. Very less Up to 25

3. Less 26-50

4. Moderate 51-75

5. High Above 75

2. Involvement in decision making

Rogers (1983) defined decision making as a process by

which an evaluation of the meaning of alternative line of conduct is made
and one of them is adopted finally.

It referred to the involvement of women respondents in

making decision in all the important farm activities and allied activities.

The respondent was asked whether she was involved in

decision making in farm activities and other related activities there in the
number of practices.

Involvement in decision making index was calculated as follows:

43
 Total score of decision making involvement
obtained by women
Decision making involvement = x100
index Maximum obtainable involvement
score of decision making

Decision making index was categorized as follows:

Sl. No. Decision making involvement level Index

1. No decision making involvement 0.00
2. Very less Up to 25
3. Less 26-50
4. Moderate 51-75
5. High Above 75

3. Involvement in Adoption

Rogers (1983) defined adoption as the decision to make full

use of innovation in the best course of action available.

Adoption means a decision to continue full use of the modern

techniques in farm activities by the women respondents, help in adoption of
actual adoption practices is indicated of the association and involvement of
a rural women in adoption of the related practices.

The respondents were asked in what practices she was

involved or was helped in number of such practices was considered as her
adoption involvement score.

Involvement in adoption index was calculated as follows:

Total score of adoption involvement

obtained by women
Adoption involvement Index = x100
Maximum obtainable involvement
score of adoption

Adoption involvement index was categorized as follows:

44
 Sl. No. Adoption involvement level Index
1. No adoption involvement 0.00
2. Very less Up to 25
3. Less 26-50
4. Moderate 51-75
5. High Above 75

4. Overall involvement

For the present study overall involvement of rural women in

farm activities is operationally defined as the cumulative outcome of three
selected components of involvement viz. Planning, decision making and
adoption was measured.

Overall involvement was measures with the help of

involvement index by addition of scores of three components. The total
score will be converted into overall involvement index. This was calculated
as follows:

Sum of obtained score of three

involvement components
Overall involvement Index = x100
Maximum obtainable score of
three involvement components

The overall index was classified as follows:

Sl. No. Overall involvement level Index

1. No involvement 0.00
2. Very less Up to 25
3. Less 26-50
4. Moderate 51-75
5. High Above 75

45
3.8 Constraints faced by the rural women

Constraints are defined as the problems or difficulties

encountered by the respondents while performing the farm activities.

The data was collected on two-point continuum i.e. yes and

no. Finally, how many respondents faced the particular problem was
calculated in each case.

3.9 Drudgery faced by the rural women

According to one of the objective of research an attempt was

made to study the drudgery faced by the rural women during their
involvement in farm activities.

Kulkarni (1998) defined drudgery as the physical strain,

fatigue, monotony and hardship expressed by the women in involvement of
farm activities

It has been operationally defined as physical strain and

hardship expressed by women in involvement of farm activities. It was
calculated as follows.

Sum of obtained score

Drudgery Index= x100
Total obtainable score

The drudgery index further categorised into three

categories such as low, medium and on the basis of equal interval method.

3.10 Data analysis and Statistical Methods used

The details about statistical techniques and tests will be used

are given as follow:

1) Mean

Mean was calculated by sum of all score and dividing by

number of respondents. The formula for mean follows:

X=

46
Where,

X = Arithmetic mean

Σx = Sum of respondent score

N = Number of respondents

2) Standard deviation

It is measured of variability calculated around mean. It was

calculated by the formula as under:

S.D. =

Where, X= Mean

S.D. = Standard deviation

N = Number of observations

X = Value of observations

3) Coefficients of correlation

The relationship between independent and dependent

variables was calculated with the help of given formula:

r=

Where,

r = coefficients of correlation

Σx= sum of the score of variable x.

Σy = Sum of the score of variable y.

Σxy= Sum of the products of x and y variable.

Σx² = Sum of square of x variables.

Σy² = Sum of square of y variables.

N= Total number of respondents.

47
 CHAPTER IV

SOCIO-ECONOMIC FEATURES OF AKOLA DISTRICT

Maharashtra state has six revenue divisions viz., Mumbai,

Pune, Nasik, Aurangabad, Amravati and Nagpur. Vidarbha area includes
Amravati and Nagpur revenue division comprising eleven districts viz.,
Buldana, Akola, Washim, Yevatmal, Wardha, Nagpur, Bhandara, Gondia,
Chandrapur and Gadchiroli. Washim and Gondia are newly formed
districts bifurcating Akola and Bhandara districts respectively.

Nagpur division includes Bhandara, Gondia, Chandrapur,

Gadchiroli and Wardha are the eastern district of Vidarbha. The western
districts are Buldana, Akola, Amravati, Yevatmal and Washim. The western
districts are known for its cotton crop and the eastern region is for good
quality of rice. Vidarbha as a whole contributes cotton, rice, jowar, millets,
oilseeds, soybean, citrus, forest timber, flowers crops etc.

The present study is confined to Akola districts of Western

Vidarbha. The agro-climatic conditions differ from place and even in close
vicinity also.

4.1 Location of Akola district

Akola district falls in Vidarbha region of Maharashtra. It

comprises of 7 tehsils. It lies between 200 17’ and 21018’ north latitudes
and 760 17’ and 770 14’ east latitudes. It covers area of 5417 [Link].
accounting for 1.76 % of the total area of Maharashtra. Akola district is
surrounded by Amravati district in North, part of Amravati district and
Yevatmal district in the East, Washim and Yevatmal district to the South
and Buldhana district toward West.

4.2 Topography and soil

The northern part of the Akola district lies in Purna valley

which itself is a part of Tapi river basin. River Purna has formed fertile
basin in Akola, Balapur and Murtizapur tahsils of Akola. Akola district is
divided into 7 tahsils for smooth administration. The district ranks fourth in
respect of size and fifth in respect of population among the eleven districts
48
of Vidarbha regions of Maharashtra. The soil of the district is basically
derived from volcanic trap rock and it is quite fertile. It is classified into
categories as coarse soil found in south, medium black soil in the plain and
deep black soil found in river valley.

The soils are heavy type. However, patches of light soils are
also noticed in some part of this district.

4.3 Climate and rainfall

Being away from the sea, the district extreme climate. The
weather during winter is too cool, while in summer it is too hot. The
average minimum and maximum temperature extremities observed
throughout the year was 100 C and 46.50 C, respectively. Akola district falls
is assured rainfall zone of Maharashtra state having on an average rainfall
between 750 to 1000 mm.

The annual rainfall ranges between 750 mm to 1000 mm,

which is mostly received during the month of June to September.

4.4 Land use pattern

The details of land use pattern of Akola district are presented in Table 4.

Table 4: Land use pattern of Akola district

Sr. Content Area Percentage
No
1 Area for land utilization statistics 5429 100.00
2 Forest 299 5.51
3 Barren and uncultivable land 115 2.12
4 Land put on non Agricultural use 300 5.52
5 Cultural waste land 31 0.57
6 Permanent pasture and other grazing land 167 3.08
7 Land under miscellaneous tree crops and 12 0.22
groves not included in net area sown.
8 Current fallows 100 1.84
9 Other fallows 56 1.03
10 Net area sown 4349 80.11
11 Area sown more than once 911 16.78
12 Gross cropped area 5260 96.89
13 Cropping intensity 120.95
(Source: Agricultural statistical information Maharashtra state, 2006)
49
4.5 Cropping pattern

The usual cropping is determined by large number of factors.

The most important factors are climate, soil, topography, customs and
distance to [Link] of cripping pattern are presented Table 5.

Table 5: Distribution of net area shown of Akola district

[Link]. Crop Area(In oo’ ha)

1 Wheat 34
2 Kharif jowar 822
3 Rabi jowar 01
4 Bajari 14
5 Other cereals 09
Total cereals 880
6 Gram 240
7 Tur 522
8 Other pulses 785
Total pulses 1547
Total Food grains 2427
9 Sugarcane 05
10 Cotton 2076
Total Fibre 2081
11 Safflower 19
12 Sunflower 00
Kharif 15
Rabi 11
Summer 04
13 Summer groundnut 05
14 Soybean 503
Total oilseed 587
(Source: Agricultural statistical information Maharashtra state,2006)

4.6 Crop season and crop rotation

There are two important crop season i.e. Kharif and Rabi
where as in summer season land generally remains fallow and preparatory
tillage operations are under taken.

50
Cotton jowar are important crops grown in Kharif season on large scale.
Tur, mung, udid, are also grown in Kharif on large scale. Soybean crop is
grown by the farmers on large area. Wheat and gram are important Rabi
crops grown in the area. Linseed, sunflower, safflower, some spices and
vegetable, fruit crop are also grown in Rabi season wherever the sources
of irrigation is mostly through wells and cannel. The manners in which crop
rotation are commonly followed is presented in Table 6.

Table 6: Crop season and crop rotation

Sr. No. Kharif Rabi

1 Cotton -
2 Cotton + tur + jowar -
3 Soybean Gram
4 Soybean + tur Wheat
5 Jowar Gram
6 Cotton+ mung / udid Safflower / wheat
7 Cotton + tur Safflower
8 Cotton+ tur + jowar +mung Sunflower
9 Mung Safflower
10 Cotton + mung -

4.7 Input supply

Agricultural inputs like seed, manure, fertilizers, insecticides,

pesticides etc. are required by the farmers are made available to them
through number of agricultural service centers established at district level
and block level.

Maharashtra State Seed Corporation Ltd., Dr. PDKV, Akola

and other private seed companies supply the quality seeds to the farmers.
The farm inputs are made available to the farmers by co-operative
societies and nationalize banks functioning at block level, panchayat samiti
also provide inputs to the farmers. Co-operative society supply input
against the loan sanctioned by the District Central Co-operation Bank to
individual cultivator.
51
4.8 Markets

For the marketing of agricultural produce, agricultural produce

market committees are functioning in the district. All seven tehsils having
facilities of regulated markets functioning in the district. These sub-markers
are connected with roads and having facilities of banking, electricity etc.
District market also present in Akola district which provided the commodity.

52
 CHAPTER V

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

The data collected by adopting the procedure presented

earlier in the methodology. The results obtained from the analysis of the
data in accordance of the study objectives along with logical discussion
have been given to interpret the observed phenomena. The data were
subjected to statistical technique and the results have been presented in
this chapter. The results of the study are presented under the following
suitable sub headings.

5.1 Distribution analysis of independent variables

5.2 Involvement of women in Planning, Decision making and Adoption of

farm activities.

5.3 Relational analysis

5.4 Constraints faced by respondents in farm activities.

5.5 Drudgery faced by the respondents in performing farm activities.

5.6 Empirical model of research

5.1 Distribution analysis of independent variable

The distribution of the respondents according to their

personal, socio-economic and psychological characteristics has been
presented in this section. Distribution of respondents according to the
independent variables studied as age, education, annual income, family
type, family size, land holding, family occupation, sources of information,
extension contact, time spent in agriculture, knowledge and involvement in
planning, decision making and adoption was studied as a dependent
variable.

5.1.1 Distribution of respondents according to their independent

variables

The study of personal, socio-economic and psychological

characteristics was made with reference to the independent variables

53
studied as age, education, annual income, family type, family size, land
holding, family occupation, social participation, extension contact, time
spent in agriculture and knowledge.

The results pertaining to distribution of respondents on these

variables have been presented under this section.

5.1.1. Age

The data in Table 7 revealed that near about half of the

respondents (46.66%) belonged to middle age group, followed by 43.34
per cent of respondents belonged to old age category and only 10 per cent
of the respondents belonged to young age category. Thus, it was
concluded that majority of respondents belonged to middle age category.

Table 7: Distribution of the respondents according to their age.

Sl. No Category Age (Years) Respondents (n=120)

Frequency Percentage
1 Young Up to 35 12 10.00
2 Middle 36 – 50 56 46.66
3 Old Above 50 52 43.34
Total 120 100.00

From these observations it was concluded that nearly half of

respondents (46.66%) belonged to middle age group category. Because
middle age group categories actively participated in farm activities.

The results of the study were in line with the findings reported by
Deshmukh [Link]. (2007).

5.1.2. Education

It is well known that education increases the undertaking in

decision making and develops positive attitude towards any new practice.
Thus, in view of the importance, education has been considered for the
present study.

54
55
 From the data depicted in Table 8, it was found that 72.50 per
cent of the respondents were educated up to high school and above
whereas, 10.00 per cent of the respondents had attended primary
schooling. 9.16 per cent of respondents attended middle schooling. Only
3.34 per cent of the respondents can read and write and each 2.5 per cent
of the respondents were founded as illiterate and could only read.

Table 8: Distribution of the respondents according to their education

Sl. No Education(Category) Respondents (n=120)

Frequency Percentage
1 Illiterate 03 2.50
2 Can read only 03 2.50
3 Can read and write 04 3.34
4 Primary education 12 10.00
5 Middle education 11 9.16
6 High school and above 87 72.50
Total 120 100.00

It is therefore, concluded that maximum (72.50%) number of

the respondents were highly educated and similar findings were observed
by Shilpa Rupanvar (2008) and Megha Landge (2011).

5.1.3. Annual Income

Family income of the respondents helps to project the overall

economic stability of family. A low level of family income compels oneself to
work more to earn more and more. It is an important factor in involvement
in farm activities.

From the data in Table 9, it is observed that majority of the

respondents (60.85%) had annual income up to Rs. 75,000/- whereas, 27
per cent of the respondent had annual income ranging from Rs. 75,000/- to
Rs.1,50,000/-. Only 11.66 per cent of the respondents had their annual
income above Rs.1,50,000/-.

56
57
Table 9: Distribution of the respondents according to their annual
income

Sl. No Annual Income (Rs.) Respondents (n=120)

Frequency Percentage
1 Up to Rs. 75,000/- 73 60.84
2 Rs.75001/- to Rs.1,50,000 33 27.50
3 Above Rs.1,50,000/- 14 11.66
Total 120 100.00

It is therefore, concluded that majority (60.84%) of the

respondents had annual income comes under category up to Rs. 75,000/-.
The results of the study were in line with the findings reported by Megha
Landge (2011).

5.1.4. Family Type

It was observed from the Table 10 that majority (95.83%) of

the respondents had nuclear type of family whereas, only 4.16 per cent of
the respondents had joint type of the family.

Table 10: Distribution of the respondents according to their family

type

Sl. No Family type Respondents(n=120)

Frequency Percentage
1. Nuclear family 115 95.83
2. Joint family 05 4.17
Total 120 100.00

Thus, it is concluded that majority of the farm women belong to

nuclear type of family. Similar findings were observed by Tayde (2006) and
Geeta (2010).

58
5.1.5. Family Size

Family size i.e. small, medium and large can affect the
respondent’s involvement in farm activities in both ways i.e. if female
belongs to large family size she may have less worth to do or vice versa.

From the above data in Table 11, it is observed that majority

(60.00%) of the respondents had possessed medium size of family,
followed by small family size (35.83%). Only 4.17 per cent of the
respondents belonged to large family size i.e. above 7 members in the
family.

Table 11: Distribution of the respondents according to their family

size

Sl. No Family size Respondents(n=120)

Frequency Percentage
1. Small (1-4) 43 35.83
2. Medium(5-7) 72 60.00
3. Large(Above 7) 05 04.17
Total 120 100.00

Thus, it could be inferred that majority (60.00%) of women

had medium family size comprising to 5 to 7 members. They might have
realized, now a day the importance of small size and drawback of big size
family and how it was difficult to maintain. Similar results were founded in
the study of Kadam (2004),Varsha Rathod (2006) and Jayashri Yesankar
(2010).

5.1.6. Family Occupation

It is observed from the Table 12 that nearly half (44.16%) of

the respondents had possessed agriculture as their main occupation,
followed by 37.50 per cent of the respondents had possessed agriculture +
labour as an occupation. Each 6.67 per cent of the respondents having
agriculture + labour and agriculture + business as their occupation and only

59
5.00 per cent of the respondents had service with agriculture. None of the
respondents were found in the category of landless labour.

60
Table 12: Distribution of the respondents according to their family
occupation

Sl. Family Occupation Respondents(n=120)

No Frequency Percentage
1 Landless labour 00 0.00
2 Agriculture + Labour 39 37.50
3 Agriculture 59 44.16
4 Agriculture + allied activities 08 6.67
5 Agriculture and business 08 6.67
(Professional/Non
professional)
6 Agriculture and service (Job 06 5.00
with monthly salary)
Total 120 100.00

It is therefore, concluded that nearly fifty per cent (44.16%)

of the respondents had only agriculture as occupation because most of the
rural women engaged in farm activities as for their livelihoods.

The similar results were also noticed in the study of Tekale

(2012) and Shubhashri Mallik (2016).

5.1.7. Land holding

Having relatively more land in family may prohibit women

respondents from engaging herself as labour or vice versa. The women
having more land are mostly involved in farm activities related to decision
making. In view of rule of the land holding, it has been studied in the
present case.

It was observed from the Table 13 that above one third

(39.16%) of the respondents were found in the small land holding category,
followed by 38.34 per cent of the respondents were observed under
marginal land holding category, whereas 15.00 per cent of the respondents
were felled under category of semi-medium, followed by 4.16 per cent of

61
the respondents in the medium category. Only 3.34 per cent of the
respondents having land above 10 ha.

Table 13: Distribution of the respondents according to their land

holding

Sl. Category Land holding Respondents(n=120)

No (ha) Frequency Percentage
1 Marginal Up to 1.00 46 38.34
2 Small 1.01 – 2.00 47 39.16
3 Semi-medium 2.01 – 4.00 18 15.00
4 Medium 4.01 – 10.00 05 4.16
5 Large Above 10.00 04 3.34
Total 120 100.00

It has been concluded that, above one third (39.16%) of the

respondents in the study area were grouped in small category of land
holding. It might be due to most of the land holdings are in the names of
male members of the family.

The similar results were found in the study of Sarda et. al.
(2004) and Varsha Rathod (2006) and Shilpa Rupanvar (2008).

5.1.8. Social participation

Social participation of the women expressed them to various

sphere of life. It leads to their involvement in farm activities. The social
participation of women respondents had been studied in the present
investigation and results are presented in table 14.

From the Table 14, it was observed that exactly half (50.00%)
of the respondents had low social participation whereas, 38.33 per cent of
the respondents had medium level of social participation. Only 11.67 per
cent of the respondents had high level of social participation.

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Table 14: Distribution of the respondents according to their social
participation

Sl. No Category Respondents(n=120)

Frequency Percentage
1. Low (Up to 1) 60 50.00
2. Medium (2-3) 46 38.33
3. High (Above 3) 14 11.67
Total 120 100.00
Mean=1.84 SD=1.15

Thus, it is concluded that majority (50.00%) of the

respondents had low social participation. Similar results were observed by
Shital Girde (2012) and Swati Gobade (2014).

5.1.9. Source of information

From the Table 15, it was observed that nearly three-fourth

(74.16%) of the respondents had moderate access to the source of
information, followed by 16.67 per cent of the respondents had low level of
source of information. Only 9.17 per cent of the respondents had high
access to the source of information.

Table 15: Distribution of the respondents according to their source of

information

Sl. No Category Respondents(n=120)

Frequency Percentage
1. Low (Up to 20) 20 16.67
2. Medium (21-25) 89 74.16
3. High (Above 25) 11 9.17
Total 120 100.00
Mean=22.52 SD=2.37

The present findings are similar to the findings of Swati

Gobade (2012) who reported that majority of the respondents had medium
level of source of information.

64
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5.1.10. Extension contact

The detailed distribution of women respondents with the

various extension personnel for getting the information about farm activities
in view to take rational involvement is presented in Table 16.

Table 16: Detailed distribution of the respondents according to their

extension contact

Sl. Extension Frequency of Contact

No contact / Contacted Contacted Whenever Never
Particulars in a week in problem contacted
(4) fortnight arise (2) (1)
(3)
1. Gramsevak 2 3 16 99
(1.66%) (2.5%) (13.33%) (82.5%)
2. VEW 0 1 7 112
(0.0%) (0.83%) (5.83%) (93.33%)
3. Agriculture 0 0 0 120
extension officer (0.0%) (0.0%) (0.0%) (100%)
4. Taluka Agril. 0 0 2 116
Officer (0.0%) (0.0%) (3.33%) (96.66%)
5. Agriculture 0 0 0 120
university scientist (0.0%) (0.0%) (0.0%) (100%)
6. KVK scientist 0 0 6 114
(0.0%) (0.0%) (5.00%) (95.00%)
7. Progressive 0 0 75 45
farmer (0.0%) (0.0%) (62.50%) (37.50%)
8. Krishi Seva 0 0 86 34
Kendra (0.0%) (0.0%) (71.67%) (28.33%)
9. NGO 0 0 3 117
(0.0%) (0.0%) (2.50%) (97.50%)

It was observed that from the Table 16 that majority of

respondents had never contacted to the extension personnel such as
Taluka agril. Officer, Agril. university scientists, NGO’s, VEW and KVK
scientists. Majority (71.67%) of the respondents were contacted to the
krishi seva kendra whenever the problem arises, followed by 66.50 per cent
and 13.33 per cent of the respondents were contacted to progressive
farmer and gramsevak. Only 2.5 per cent of respondents were contacted in
66
a fortnight to the gramsevak, followed by 0.83 per cent to the VEW. Only
1.66 per cent of the respondents had contacted in a week to the
gramsevak.

Table 17: Distribution of the respondents according to their overall

level of extension contact

Sl. No Category Respondents(n=120)

Frequency Percentage
1. Low (Up to 11) 61 50.83
2. Medium (12-13) 53 44.17
3. High (Above 13) 06 05.00
Total 120 100.00
Mean=11.69 SD=1.18

From the above Table 17, it is observed that exactly half

(50.83%) of the respondents had low extension contact, followed by
44.17% of the respondents had medium level of extension contact. Only 5
per cent of the respondents had high level of extension contact.

It was found that majority of the respondents obtained the

information from Krishi Seva Kendra and progressive farmers, while
Gramsevaks, Agriculture University Scientists/KVK Scientists, Taluka
Agriculture Officer, VEW were the least used sources by the respondents.
The similar results were found in the study of Uma Shah (2007).

5.1.11 Time spent in agriculture

The variable i.e. time spent for farm and allied activities in
hours for which the actual time spent in hours per day for participating and
performing specific farm and allied activities by the individual farm women
was considered. By adding the scores of all activities total score for time
spent in agricultural activities was calculated. The data obtained under this
variable is presented in Table17.

67
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Table 18: Distribution of the respondents according to their levels of
time spent for agricultural activities

Sl. No. Category Respondents (n=120)

Frequency Percentage
1 Less( Up to 6) 37 30.83
2 Moderate (7-8) 44 36.67
3 High (Above 8) 39 32.50
Total 120 100.00
Mean=7.52 S.D.=1.1

From the above Table 18, it was observed that above one
third 36.67 per cent of the respondents had spent moderate time i.e. 7-8
hours in agricultural activities whereas, 32.50 per cent of the respondents
had spent more time in agricultural activities. 30.83 per cent of the
respondents had spent less time in agricultural activities.

Thus, it is concluded in the study area majority of the

respondents spent moderate time ranging from 7-8 hours for agricultural
activities. Similar results were also observed by Chauhan (2005) and Shital
Girde (2012).

5.1.12 Knowledge

Involvement has been decided on the basis of women’s

involvement in seeking the knowledge of different practices hence the
items or practices known to a respondents indicated her involvements. The
assumption was more the knowledge; more is the involvement in seeking
the information.

From the above data in Table 19, it was observed that nearly
half (45.83%) per cent of the respondents had moderate knowledge about
farm activities, followed by 38.33 per cent of the respondents had high
knowledge about farm activities. Only 15.84 per cent of respondents had
less knowledge and no one having no knowledge or very less knowledge
about farm activities.

69
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Table 19: Distribution of the respondents according to their level of
knowledge

Sl. No Knowledge Level Respondents (n=120)

Frequency Percentage
1 No Knowledge 00 0.00
2 Very less 00 0.00
3 Less 19 15.84
4 Moderate 55 45.83
5 High 46 38.33
Total 120 100.00

Thus, it is concluded that majority of the respondents had

moderate knowledge about various farm activities. Similar results were
founded by Rajni Chauhan (2001) and Kavita Khade (2011).

5.2 Involvement of women in planning, decision making and adoption

of farm activities.

5.2.1 Involvement in planning

Planning requires more knowledge and skill, insight in the

activities unfortunately rural women development, so that the extent
seldomly takes place in the present study.

Table 20: Distribution of women respondents according to their

involvement in planning

Sl. Farm Activities Respondents (n=120)

No.
Complete Partial No
(3) (2) (1)
A Farm planning
1 Preparation of calendar of 06 69 45
farm management (5.00%) (57.50%) (37.50%)
2 Selection of crop varieties 02 33 85
(1.67%) (27.50%) (70.83%)
3 Selection of fertilizer 0 11 109
(0.00%) (9.17%) (90.83%)
4 Type of cropping pattern 18 42 60
(15.00%) (42.00%) (50.00%)

71
 5 Type of intercrops to be 17 40 63
sown (14.17%) (33.33%) (52.50%)
6 Use of plant protection 0 07 113
measures (0.00%) (5.83%) (94.17%)

7 Threshing of crops 0 30 90
(0.00%) (25.00%) (75.00%)
B Labour management
1 No. of labour employed 01 32 87
(0.83%) (26.67%) (72.50%)
2 Type of labour employed 0 35 85
(0.00%) (29.17%) (70.83%)
3 Charges given to the 0 36 84
labour (0.00%) (30.00%) (70.00%)
4 No of days for which 0 53 67
labour employed (0.00%) (44.17%) (55.83%)
C Capital management
1 Proper budgeting 24 65 31
(20.00%) (54.17%) (25.83%)
2 Spending money 69 23 28
(57.50%) (19.17%) (23.33%)
3 Saving money and 25 58 37
investing (20.83%) (48.34%) (30.83%)
4 Taking loan for agriculture 08 72 40
operation (6.67%) (60.00%) (33.33%)
D Input management
planning
1 Purchase of seed 13 48 59
(10.83%) (40.00%) (49.17%)
2 Purchase of fertilizer 0 04 116
(0.00%) (3.33%) (96.67%)
3 Purchase of insecticide 0 4 116
(0.0%) (3.33%)%) (96.67%)
4 Purchase of livestock 67 30 23
(55.83%) (25.00%) (19.17%)
5 Purchase of machinery 0 12 108
(0.00%) (10.00%) (90.00%)

From the Table 20, it was observed that, majority of the

respondent had not involved in planning of many farm activities such as
selection of fertilizer (90.83%) use of plant protection measures (94.17%),
threshing of crops (75.00%), purchase of insecticide (96.67%), purchase of
fertilizer (96.67%), purchase of machinery (90.00%), followed by very less
involvement in planning of labour management i.e. No of days labour

72
employed (72.50%), type of labour employed (70.83%), no of days for
which labour employed (55.83%) respectively.

It is seen from the above table that there was a partial

involvement in taking loan for agriculture (60.00%), planning of calendar of
farm management (57.50%), followed by proper budgeting of money
(54.17%), saving and investing money (48.33%), type of cropping pattern
(42.00%) and type of intercrops to be sown. Also it is observed that there
was complete involvement in planning of purchase of livestock (56.66%)
and in spending money (57.50%) respectively.

Table 21: Distribution of women respondents according to planning

involvement index
Sl. No Category Women respondents (n=120)
Number Percent
1 Very less 11 9.17
2 Less 90 75.00
3 Moderate 19 15.83
Total 120 100.00
Mean=46.5 SD=11.12

Distribution of women respondents according to their

involvement in planning (Table 20) has revealed that majority of respondent
i.e. 75.00 per cent women had low involvement in planning which was quite
obvious in context to existing situation of rural women (26 -50 per cent) and
that 9.17 per cent women respondent had up to 25 per cent involvement in
planning of agriculture and allied activities. Whereas, 15.83 per cent had
moderate involvement in planning (51-75 per cent) and no one could found
having high involvement in planning. Mean involvement level was 46.50
per cent only. It is therefore concluded that the involvement of women
respondents in planning of agriculture and allied activities in study area
was less.

The results of the study were in line with the findings reported
by Rajni Chauhan (2001).

73
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5.2.2 Involvement in decision making:
From the Table 22, it is observed that women respondents
had completely involved in taking decision regarding storage of produce
(60.83%), harvesting of produce (55.00%), purchase of land (47.50%). Also
seen that there was a partial involvement of rural women in decision
making about digging of well (50.00%), irrigation of crop (36.67%),
selection of crop (35.00%) whereas, it was observed that rural women does
not involved in decision making of farm activities such as application of
insecticide (89.16%), sale of produce (81.66%), purchase of implements
(80.00%), application of fertilizer (78.33%) whereas adoption of improved
technology (77.50%) were major and strategic farm activities where less
involvement of farm women was observed. The findings by and large
indicate that rural women moderately involved in decision making about
many farm activities.
Table 22: Distribution of women respondents according to their
involvement in decision making
Respondents (n=120)
Sl. Farm Activities
Complete Partial No
No.
(3) (2) (1)
1 Selection of crop 15 42 63
(12.50%) (35..00%) (52.50%)
2 Application of fertilizers 12 14 94
(10.00%) (11.67%) (78.33%)
3 Irrigation of crop 34 44 42
(28.33%) (36.67%) (35.00%)
4 Application of Insectiside 5 8 107
(4.17%) (6.67%) (89.16%)
5 Harvesting of crops 66 39 15
(55.00%) (32.50%) (12.50%)
6 Storage of produce 73 32 15
(60.83%) (26.67%) (12.50%)

7 Sale of produce 11 11 98
(9.17%) (9.17%) (81.66%)
8 Purchase of implements 5 19 96
(4.17%) (15.83%) (80.00%)
9 Purchase of land 57 37 26
(47.50%) (30.83%) (21.66%)
10 Adoption of improved 9 93
technology (6.67%) (7.50%) (77.50%)
11 Digging of well 36 60 24
(30.00%) (50.00%) (20.00%)
75
 Distribution of women respondents according to their
involvement in decision making (Table 23) has revealed that 56.66 per cent
women respondents were involved in decision making to the extent of 50-
75 per cent i.e. involvement of women was moderate, 31.67 per cent
women had up to 25 per cent involvement in decision making and 10.00
per cent of respondents had high involvement in decision making, while a
very few proportion i.e. 1.67 per cent of women respondents had no
involvement in decision making.

Table 23: Distribution of women respondents according to their

decision making involvement index

Sl. No Category Women respondents (n=120)

No. Percent
1 Very less 02 1.67
2 Less 38 31.67
3 Moderate 68 56.66
4 High 12 10.00
Total 120 100.00
Mean=57.39 SD=8.64

Mean involvement index was 57.39, therefore it is concluded

that majority of women respondents had moderate involvement in decision
making, about the decision making of farm activities in the study area.
Similar results were observed by Megha Landge (2012) and Shital Girde
(2011).

5.2.3 Involvement in adoption

From the Table 24, it was observed that majority (88.33%) of

the respondents had not adopted the top dressing of fertilizer method,
followed by 87.50 per cent and 86.67 per cent of respondents had not
adopted seed selection and marketing of produce practices,81.67 per cent
had not adopted transportation. Each 79.17 per cent of respondents had
not adopted manuring and transplanting of seedlings, seed treatment
(76.67%), processing (72.50%), hoeing (69.17%). It is seen that majority

76
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(77.50%) of respondents had adopted harvest and post-harvest activities
i.e. cutting of standing crop, (71.67%) of respondents had adopted nursery
raising practices, followed by cleaning (67.50%), storage of grain (58.33%),
drying (56.67%) respectively.

Table 24: Distribution of women respondents according to their

involvement in adoption

Sl. Farm Activities Involvement

No. Yes(2) No(1)
I. Pre sowing operations
1. Land preparation 43 77
(35.83%) (64.17%)
2. Seed selection 15 105
(12.50%) (87.50%)
3. Seed treatment 28 92
(23.33%) (76.67%)
4. Sowing of seed 69 51
(57.50%) (42.50%)
5. Nursery raising 34 86
(28.33%) (71.67%)
II. Post sowing operations
1 Uprooting of seedlings 32 88
26.67%) 73.33%)
2 Transplanting of seedlings 25 95
(20.83%) (79.17%)
3 Weeding 61 59
(50.83%) (49.17%)
4 Hoeing 37 83
(30.83%) (69.17%)
5 Top dressing of fertilizer 14 106
(11.67%) (88.33%)
6 Manuring 25 95
(20.83%) (79.17%)
III Harvesting operation
1. Cutting of standing crop 93 37
(77.50%) (22.50%)
2. Preparation of bundies 38 82
(31.67%) (68.33%)
3. Winnowing of threshed crop 42 78
(35.0%) (65.0%)

78
 IV Post -Harvest Operations
1. Drying 68 52
(56.67%) (43.33%)
2. Cleaning 81 39
(67.50%) (32.50%)
3. Storage of grain 70 50
(58.33%) 41.67%)
4. Transportation 22 98
(18.33%) (81.67%)
5. Processing 33 87
(27.50%) (72.50%)
6. Marketing of produce 16 104
(13.33%) (86.67%)

Distribution of women respondents according to their

involvement in adoption (Table 24) has revealed that 45.83 per cent
women had moderate involvement in adoption i.e. up to 51-75 per cent
level, 38.33 per cent women respondents had less involvement in adoption
of practices of agriculture while 9.17 per cent and 6.67 per cent women
respondents had high involvement in adoption and no involvement in
adoption of farm activities respectively.

Table 25: Distribution of women respondents according to their

involvement in adoption index

Sl. No Category Women respondents (n=120)

No. Percent
1 Very less 8 6.67
2 Less 46 38.33
3 Moderate 55 45.83

4 High 11 9.17
Total 120 100.00
Mean=65.22 SD=11.56

Mean involvement score was 65.22 which helps in to infer

that majority of women had moderate involvement in adoption of
agricultural development activities and other agriculture activities.

79
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 It could thus be inferred that the majority of the respondents
by and large, moderately adopt important practices as per
recommendation, whereas non adoption of the practices like seed
treatment, seed selection, top dressing of fertilizer and transportation of
produce was found among majority of the respondents.

Similar results were observed by Meshram (2010).

5.2.4. Overall involvement

It is the composite picture of involvement of respondents in

gaining knowledge in planning, in decision making and in adoption of
agricultural activities.

Table 26: Distribution of women respondents according to their overall

involvement in agriculture activities

Sl. No Category Women respondents (n=120)

Number Percentage
1 No involvement 0 0.00
2 Very less 0 0.00
3 Less 31 25.83
4 Moderate 83 69.17
5 High 06 5.00
Total 120 100.00
Mean=54.72 SD=9.65

From the above data in Table 26, was observed that overall
involvement of majority (69.17%) of women respondents was moderate.
The involvement of 25.83 per cent of respondents was less i.e. ranging
from 26-50. No one can found having no involvement and very less
involvement. Only 5 per cent of respondents had high involvement in
agricultural activities. Mean involvement score was 54.72 per cent, it is thus
inferred that the overall involvement of majority of the respondents was
moderate.

81
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5.3 Relational analysis

A correlation analysis was carried out to find out as to

whether the selected characteristics had any association with involvement
of rural women in farm activities. The coefficients of correlation of the
personal, socio-economic and psychological variables with involvement of
rural women have been given as follows.

Table 27: Correlation Coefficients of independent variables with

involvement in Planning

Sl. No Independent variables ‘r’ values

1 Age 0.1030NS

2 Education -0.1194NS

3 Annual income 0.3045**

4 Family type -0.0483NS

5 Family size 0.1689 NS

6 Family occupation 0.1338 NS

7 Land holding 0.2574**

8 Social participation -0.1080NS

9 Source of information 0.0182NS

10 Extension contact 0.2095*

11 Time spent in agriculture 0.0150 NS

12 Knowledge 0.4273**

* = Significant at 0.05% level of probability

** = Significant at 0.01% level of probability

NS = Non significant

The perusal of the data displayed in Table 27, clearly

indicated that annual income, land holding and knowledge are positively
and significantly correlated with involvement of rural women in farm
activities at 0.01% level of probability and extension contact is positively

83
significant at 0.05% level of probability with involvement in planning by the
rural women. It means by increasing annual income, land holding,
knowledge and extension contact by the respondents there is increasing
involvement in planning among the respondent. Therefore, the null
hypothesis was rejected for these variables and concluded that these
variables were significantly correlated with involvement in planning of farm
activities.

Age, education, family type, family size, family occupation,

social participation, source of information and time spent in agril. had non-
significant relationship with the involvement of women in planning of farm
activities. It means by increasing or by decreasing the facilities of variables
like age, education, family type, family size, family occupation, social
participation, source of information and time spent in agril. there would not
be any change in involvement in planning. Therefore, the null hypothesis
was accepted for these characteristics stating that these characteristics
exists non-significant relation with involvement of women.

Similar results were founded by the Rajni Chauhan (2001).

On critical examination the data depicted in Table 28 reveals

that age, annual income, family occupation, land holding and knowledge is
positively and significantly correlated at 0.05% level of probability and
extension contact at 0.01% level of probability with involvement in decision
making. It means by increasing age, annual income, family occupation,
land holding, knowledge and extension contact by the respondents there is
increasing involvement in decision making among the respondent.
Therefore, the null hypothesis was rejected for these variables and
concluded that these variables were significantly correlated with
involvement in decision making about farm activities.

84
Table 28: Correlation Coefficients of independent variables with
involvement in decision making

Sl. No Name of Independent variables ‘r’ values

1 Age 0.1830*

2 Education -0.1005NS

3 Annual income 0.2006*

4 Family type 0.0859NS

5 Family size 0.0817 NS

6 Family occupation 0.2141*

7 Land holding 0.2002*

8 Social participation -0.0860NS

9 Source of information 0.0996NS

10 Extension contact 0.2750**

11 Time spent in agriculture -0.2515NS

12 Knowledge 0.2071*

* = Significant at 0.05% level of probability

** = Significant at 0.01% level of probability

NS = Non significant

Education, family type, family size, family, social

participation, source of information and time spent in agriculture had non-
significant relationship with the involvement of women in decision making of
farm activities. It means by increasing or by decreasing the facilities of
variables like education, family type, family size, social participation, source
of information and time spent in agriculture there would not be any change
in involvement in decision making. Therefore, the null hypothesis was
accepted for these characteristics stating that these characteristics exists
non-significant relation with involvement of women.

85
 The above results were similar to the Rajni Chauhan (2001)
and Mishra [Link].(2009).

Table 29: Correlation Coefficients of independent variables with

involvement in adoption

Sl. No. Name of Independent variables ‘r’ values

1 Age 0.2816*

2 Education -0.0552NS

3 Annual income 0.3045**

4 Family type 0.0372NS

5 Family size -0.0080 NS

6 Family occupation 0.1394NS

7 Land holding 0.2841**

8 Social participation -0.0585NS

9 Source of information -0.0740NS

10 Extension contact 0.3553**

11 Time spent in agriculture -0.1973*

12 Knowledge 0.2392**

* = Significant at 0.05% level of probability

** = Significant at 0.01% level of probability

NS = Non significant

The data depicted in Table 29 clearly indicated that annual

income, land holding, extension contact and knowledge has positively and
significantly correlated at 0.01% level of probability whereas, age has
positively and significantly correlated at 0.05% of probability with
involvement in adoption of farm activities by farm women. It means by
increasing the age, annual income, land holding and extension contact and
knowledge by the respondents there is increasing involvement in adoption
among the respondents. Therefore, the null hypothesis was rejected for

86
these variables and concluded that these variables were significantly
correlated with involvement status of farm women.

Education, family type, family size, family occupation, social

participation, source of information had non-significant relationship with the
involvement of women in adoption of farm activities. It means by increasing
or by decreasing the facilities of variables like education, family type, family
size, family occupation, social participation, source of information there
would not be any change in involvement in adoption of farm activities.
Therefore, the null hypothesis was accepted for these characteristics
stating that these characteristics exists non-significant relation with
involvement of women.

Similar results were founded by the Rajni Chauhan (2001)

and Kadam (2004).

5.4 Constraints faced by the respondents in farm activities

During the investigation efforts were made to elicit of family

the responses of respondents regarding constraints faced by the them
while participating in farm activities. The responses obtained in this regard
have been presented in Table 30.

Table 30: Distribution of the respondents according to their

constraints in different farm activities

Sl. No Constraints faced by the women Women respondents

(n=120)
Frequency Percentage
1 Low wages as per field work 66 55.00
Physical and mental stress due to 82 68.83
2 both field and domestic work

Secondary status in decision 68 56.67

3
making
Unfavorable social condition for 98 81.67
4 getting information from extension
workers
5 Poor economic condition 70 58.33
6 Health hazards 85 70.83

87
 The results were presented in Table 30 concluded that
majority (81.67%) of respondent faced unfavourable social condition to get
information from extension members. 70.83 per cent of the women faced
health problems while working in farm activities, followed by 68.33 per cent
of women faced physical and mental stress due to both field and domestic
work. Poor economic condition (58.33%), secondary status in decision
making (56.67%) and 55.00 per cent had problem of low wages as per their
field work were some of the major constraints faced by the respondents
while performing farm activities.

Similar results were founded by the Shital Girde (2012).

5.5 Drudgery faced by the respondents while performing different

farm activities

The drudgery faced by the rural women in their involvement

in farm activities were tabulated in Table 31.

Table 31: Distribution of the respondents according to their

drudgeries in different farm activities

Sl. No. Category Frequency Percent

1 Low ( Up to 33.33) 05 4.17
2 Medium (33.33-66.66) 09 7.50
3 High (Above 66.66) 106 88.33
Total 120 100

It is observed from the Table 31 that majority (88.33%) of the

women had faced high drudgery while performing farm activities. 7.50 per
cent of the respondents had medium level of drudgery and 4.17 per cent of
the respondents had low level of drudgeries in farm activities.

From the above data, it is concluded that majority (88.33%) of

the rural women had faced health problems such as hardening of knee joint,
pulling of body muscles during stubble collection, swelling and itching to
hand during seed treatment, muscle pain of waist and neck during sowing
and weeding. Also they faced body discomfort, increase in blood pressure,

88
heart rate during cutting od standing crops and loss of energy, irritation of
hands, pain in hands while picking of matured pods by hands.

The similar results were also noticed in the study of Megha

Thakre (2012).

5.6 Empirical model

An empirical model showing the anticipated relation was

prepared and relation has been depicted in Fig.20.

89
Independent variable Dependent variable

[Link]
2. Education
[Link] income Involvement in
planning
[Link] type
[Link] size
[Link] holding
[Link] occupation Involvement in
[Link] participation decision making
[Link] of
information
[Link] contact
[Link] spent in
agriculture Involvement in
adoption
[Link]

Correlation Variables
Significant at 0.01 per cent level
Significant at 0.05 per cent level

Fig. 20. Empirical Model of study

90
 CHAPTER VI

SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS

The study entitled "Involvement of rural women in farm

activities" was planned and carried out in Akola and Akot tahsil of Akola
district of Maharashtra state. A list of rural women of the selected villages
was obtained from the concerned tehsils where more number of farm women
or population engaged in farm activities was purposively selected.

From each village 12 respondents were selected with the help

of disproportionate random sampling method. So that 120 respondents from
10 villages was constituted as total sample of study. Data was collected with
the help of specific interview schedule by personally interviewing the
respondents.

The present study was therefore undertaken with fallowing

specific objectives.

1. To study the personal, socio-economic, communicational and

psychological characteristics of the rural women.

2. To study the involvement of rural women in farm activities.

3. To study the relationship between selected characteristics of the rural

women and their involvement in farm activities.

4. To study the drudgery faced by the rural women in performing farm

activities.

5. To study the problems faced by the rural women in farm activities.

An exploratory design of social research was used for the

present investigation.

The sample was drawn from Akola and Akot tahsil of Akola
district of Maharashtra state. From Akola tehsil 5 villages and from Akot
tehsil 5 villages were selected on the basis of random sampling. From the
list, 12 rural women was selected randomly from each village by
disproportionate random sampling method. Thus, 120 farm women
constituted the sample for the study. Data were collected by personally

91
interviewing the respondents with help of pre-tested and structured interview
schedule. The data collected were tabulated and the statistical tools namely
mean, standard deviation, percentage, frequency, coefficient of correlation
analysis were employed for interpretation of the findings. Null hypothesis set
for the study were tested for its acceptance or rejection.

The characteristics of the farm women namely age, education,

annual income, family type, family size, family occupation, land holding,
social participation, sources of information, extension contact, time spent in
agriculture, knowledge as independent variable and overall involvement in
planning, decision making and adoption were studied as a dependent
variable.

6.1 Personal, socio-economic and psychological characteristics of

respondents

The following are the salient findings emerged out of study:

1. The distribution pertaining to age of the respondents indicate that higher

proportion of respondents (46.66%) belong to middle age category.

2. The distribution pertaining to education of the respondents indicates that

nearly three- fourth (72.50%) of the respondents were highly educated.

3. Majority of the respondents (60.84%) had annual income comes under

category up to Rs. 75,000/-.

4. The distribution pertaining to family type clearly explains that majority

(95.83%) of the respondents had nuclear type of family.

5. The distribution pertaining to family size indicate that nearly above one-
third of the respondents (35.00%) had possessed small family size i.e.
up to 4 members.

6. Near about half (44.16%) of the respondents had agriculture as their

main occupation.

7. Above one third (39.16%) of the respondents in the study area were
grouped in small category of land holding.

8. The distribution pertaining to social participation indicate that exactly half

92
 (50%) of the respondents had low social participation.

9. Near about three-fourth (74.16%) of the respondents had moderate

access to the source of information.

10. The distribution pertaining to extension contact indicate that exactly half
(50.83%) of the respondents had low extension contact.

11. Above one third (36.67%) of the respondents had spent moderate time
i.e. 7-8 hours for agricultural activities.

12. The distribution pertaining to involvement in knowledge indicate that

near about half (45.83%) of the respondents had moderate knowledge
about farm activities.

6.2 Involvement of women in planning, decision making and adoption

of farm activities

1. Distribution of women respondents according to their involvement in

planning has revealed that majority of respondent (75.00%) women had
low involvement in planning.

2. Distribution of women respondents according to their involvement in

decision making has revealed that 56.66 per cent women respondents
were moderately involved in decision making.

3. Distribution of women respondents according to their involvement in

adoption has revealed that 45.83 per cent women had moderate
involvement in adoption.

4. Distribution of women respondents according to their overall

involvement revealed that overall involvement of majority (69.17%) of
women respondents was moderate.

6.3 Relationship between personal socio-economic and psychological

characteristics with involvement

It is vivid from the study that among the personal, socio-

economic and psychological characteristics out of 10 selected variables
indicated that annual income, land holding, extension contact and knowledge

93
are positively and significantly correlated with involvement of rural women in
farm activities with involvement in planning by the rural women.

Age, annual income, family occupation, land holding, and

knowledge is positively and significantly correlated at 0.05% level of
probability and at 0.01% level of probability with involvement in decision
making. Further, it was found that age, annual income, land holding,
extension contact and knowledge has positively and significantly correlated
with involvement in adoption of farm activities by farm women. Other factor
such as time spent in agriculture is negatively significant with the adoption of
farm activities by the farm women.

It is also found that education, family type, family size, family

occupation, source of information and social participation was found to be
non-significant with the involvement in planning, decision making and
adoption of farm activities. Whereas, age found to be significant with the
involvement of women in decision making and adoption of farm activities.
Time spent in agriculture did not show any significant relationship with
involvement in planning.

6.4 The constraints faced by the respondents in farm activities

Majority (81.67%) of respondents had faced unfavourable

social condition to get information from extension members, (70.83%) health
problems while working in farm activities, (68.33%) physical and mental
stress due to both field and domestic work, Poor economic condition
(58.33%), secondary status in decision making (56.67%) and 55.00 per cent
had problem of low wages as per their field work were some of the major
constraints faced by the respondents while performing farm activities.

6.5 Drudgery faced by the respondents while performing different

farm activities

Majority (88.33%) of the rural women had faced health

problems such as hardening of knee joint, pulling of body muscles during
stubble collection, swelling and itching to hand during seed treatment,
muscle pain of waist and neck during sowing and weeding, body discomfort,
increase in blood pressure, heart rate during cutting etc.
94
 CHAPTER VII

IMPLICATIONS

The implications based on the findings of the present study,

following suggestions in the form of implications are offered. Implications
emerging from this investigation are reported in this section in two parts. In
first part the implication for action is concerned and in second for
implication for future research is given.

The present study entitled ‘Involvement of rural women in

farm activities’ had brought out important findings having valuable action
implication from the point of view of arranging different programms for
increasing involvement of rural women in farm activities.

The findings of this study may be useful to the administrators,

researchers, extensions workers and social workers NGO’s and other
related personnel, engaged in agricultural development.

This study was concluded in Akola and Akot Panchayat

Samiti of Akola District. The implication based on results obtained similar
area.

7.1 Implications for action

The rural women play an important role in managerial

activities on the farm. Their involvement in farm activities needs to be
understood. The present study indicated that overall involvement status of
majority of rural women was moderate. It means that, in this study area
there is need to improve the involvement status of farm women up to high
extent. To improve their extent of involvement in farm activities to high
level, efforts by extension agencies should be taken to organise various
extension programs related to farm activities to motivate them for active
involvement.

The findings of the present study indicated that majority of the

respondents (74.16%) had medium level of sources of information and
44.16 per cent of respondents were in category of low extension contact.

95
Hence, it is suggested that farm women should attend krishi melawa,
agriculture exhibition, crop demonstration, training programs related to farm
and allied activities and other agricultural programs to acquire scientific
farm information and to improve their level of extension contact.

As regards rural women involvement it is seen that most of

the rural women were engaged in jobs like weeding, sowing, cleaning,
drying, storage of grains etc. These operations involve of physical strain.
The technical institutions should have to develop and introduced
appropriate tools and technologies to minimize physical strain so that they
involve in these operation effectively and may use the saved energy for
other operations.

7.2 Implications for research

The present study has attempted to bring under focus the

involvement of rural women in farm activities. The findings however
revealed that the diversity pattern of involvement of rural women in various
farm activities.

Further research is needed to get clearer picture of present

status of participation of rural women in various farm activities and to
explore potentials for improving it. A scientific instrument may be
constructed to measure the level of involvement of rural women in farm
activities.

Research efforts are also needed to develop tools appliances

and machineries that could be easily operated by women. The use of such
tools, appliances and machineries will improve the effectiveness of work.

The involvement of farm women in farm activities in various

aspects including capacity of decision making and planning for their
managerial ability needs to be studied separately and more critically. The
present study provides the enough information for planning future research
on this topic.

96
 CHAPTER VII

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102
 VITA

1. Name of Student : MHAISANE SNEHA KAILAS

2. Date of Birth : 26 /01/1994

3. Name of the College : Post Graduate Institute,

Department of Extension Education,
[Link] Deshmukh Krishi
Vidyapeeth, Akola
4. Residential address : At –Lohari
along with Mobile No. Post -Jalgaon Nahate
Tal - Akot
Dist.- Akola (Maharashtra)
Pin Code: 444126
Mobile no: 7058430565
5. Academic qualifications
[Link]. Degree Year Division University Subjects
1 [Link]. 2015 First Dr. PDKV Akola Agroforestry
(Forestry) Silviculture

6. Research paper : None

published
7. Field of Interest : Agriculture and Rural development
Women empowerment

Signature of Student
Place: Akola
Date: / / 2017 (MHAISANE SNEHA KAILAS)

103
 APPENDIX – I
INTERVIEW SCHEDULE
Title of Research Work: Involvement of rural women in farm activities
Name of Researcher :. Mhaisane Sneha Kailas
[Link].(Agri.) II year
Department of Extension Education
Dr. PDKV, Akola.

Part A: Independent Variables

I. General Information:

1) Name of Respondent:
2) Village: 3) Taluka: 4) District

II. Personal, socio- economic, communicational and

psychological characteristics:
1) Age: Years
2) Education: Std.
3) Family Type: [Link]:-
[Link]:-
4) Family size:
Male: Female: Children: Total:

5) Annual income:
i) Main source: Rs.
ii) Subsidiary source: Rs.
iii) Total: Rs.

6)Occupation: Thakare (2004)

[Link]. Occupation of Family Head Score

1. Landless labour 1
2. Agriculture + Labour 2
3. Agriculture 3
4. Agriculture and allied occupation (dairy farming / 4
goat farming / poultry / apiculture / sericulture / forest
work)
5. Agriculture and business (professional / non- 5
professional)
6. Agriculture and service (Job with monthly salary) 6

104
7) Land holding:
Sl. No. Type of Land Hectare
1. Rainfed ha.
2. Irrigated ha.
3. Total ha.

8) Social participation:
Sl. No Name of organization Type of participation Duration
Member Office
bearer

A) Formal organization (3) (4)

1. Gram panchayat
2. Panchayat samite
3. Zilla parishad
4. Village co-operative
society
5. Anganwadi Committee
6. Educational Committee
7. Co-operative Dairy
8. Bank
9. Any other (specify)
B) Informal Organization (2) (1)
1. Mahila Mandal
2. Bhajan Mandal
3. Self help group

9) Sources of Information:
SI. Contact sources Always(3) Sometimes(2) Never(1)
No.
1. Husband
2. Neighbours
3. Relatives
4. Mahila Mandal
5. Bhajan Mandal
6. Self help group
7. T.V./Mass Media
8. Radio
9. News Paper
10. Magzins
11. Krishi Patrika
12. 0thers

105
10) Extension contact:Sakharkar (1995)

Sl. Extension Contact

No contact / Contacted Contacted Whenever Never
Particulars in a week in problem contacted
(4) fortnight(3) arise (2) (1)
1. Gramsevak
2. VEW
3. Agriculture
extension officer
4. Taluka Agril.
Officer
5. Agriculture
university
scientist
6. KVK scientist
7. Progressive
farmer
8. Krishi Seva
Kendra
9. NGO
10. Other

11) Time spent in Agriculture:

Please give response on following activities:
[Link]. Time spent for farm activities Time
(hr/day)
I. Pre sowing operations
1. Land preparation
2. Seed selection
3. Seed treatment
4. Sowing of seed
5. Nursery raising
II. Post sowing operations
1 Uprooting of seedlings
2 Transplanting of seedlings
3 Weeding
4 Hoeing
5 Top dressing of fertilizer
6 Manuring
III Harvesting operation
1. Cutting of standing crop

2. Preparation of bundies
3. Winnowing of threshed crop
IV Post- Harvest Operations
1. Drying
106
2. Cleaning by sieving
3. Storage of produce
4. Marketing of produce
12) Knowledge:
Do you have knowledge about farm activities?
Sl. Farm Activities Knowledge
No. Yes No
I. Pre sowing operations
1. Land preparation
2. Seed selection
3. Seed treatment
4. Sowing of seed
5. Nursery raising
6. Any others
II. Post sowing operations
1 Uprooting of seedlings
2 Transplanting of seedlings
3 Weeding
4 Hoeing
5 Top dressing of fertilizer
6 Manuring
7. Any others
III Harvesting operation
1. Cutting of standing crop

2. Preparation of bundies
3. Winnowing of threshed crop
4. Any others
IV Post- Harvest Operations
1. Drying
2. Cleaning
3. Storage of grain
4. Transportation
5. Processing
6. Marketing of produce
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 Part -B: Dependent Variable
Involvement in farm activities

[Link] you involve in any farm activities? Yes/No

2. If yes, in which farm activities you involve?

Sl. Farm Activities Involvement
No. Yes No
I. Pre sowing operations
1. Land preparation
2. Seed selection
3. Seed treatment
4. Sowing of seed
5. Nursery raising
6. Any Others
II. Post sowing operations
1 Uprooting of seedlings
2 Transplanting of seedlings
3 Weeding
4 Hoeing
5 Top dressing of fertilizer
6 Manuring
7. Any Others
III Harvesting operation
1. Cutting of standing crop

2. Preparation of bundies
3. Winnowing of threshed crop
4. Any Others
IV Post-Harvest Operations
1. Drying
2. Cleaning
3. Storage of grain
4. Transportation
5. Processing
6. Marketing of produce

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I. Involvement of women in planning of farm activities

Sl. Involvement in planning

No. Farm Activities
Complete Partial No
(3) (2) (1)
A Farm planning

1 Preparation of calendar of farm

management
2 Selection of crop varieties
3 Selection of fertilizer
4 Type of cropping pattern
5 Type of intercrops to be sown
6 Use of plant protection measures
7 Threshing of crops
B Labour management

1 No. of labour employed

2 Type of labour employed
3 Charges given to the labour
4 No of days for which labour employed
C Capital management
1 Proper budgeting
2 Spending money
3 Saving money and investing
4 Taking loan for agriculture operation
D Input management planning
1 Purchase of seed
2 Purchase of fertilizer
3 Purchase of insecticide
4 Purchase of livestock
5 Purchase of machinery

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II. Involvement of women in decision making of farm activities:
Involvement in decision
Sl. Farm Activities making
No. Complete Partial No
(3) (2) (1)
1 Selection of crop
2 Application of fertilizer
3 Irrigation of crop
4 Application of Insecticide
5 Harvesting of crops
6 Storage of produce
7 Sale of produce
8 Purchase of implements
9 Purchase of land
10 Adoption of improved technology
11 Digging of well
12. Any Other

III. Involvement of women in adoption of different farm activities:

Sl. Farm Activities Involvement
No. Yes(2) No(1)
I. Pre sowing operations
1. Land preparation
2. Seed selection
3. Seed treatment
4. Sowing of seed
5. Nursery raising
II. Post sowing operations
1 Uprooting of seedlings
2 Transplanting of seedlings
3 Weeding
4 Hoeing
5 Top dressing of fertilizer

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 6 Manuring
III Harvesting operation
1. Cutting of standing crop

2. Preparation of bundies
3. Winnowing of threshed crop
IV Post -Harvest Operations
1. Drying
2. Cleaning
3. Storage of grain
4. Transportation
5. Processing
6. Marketing of produce

Part – C: Constraints:

Constraints faced by rural women in involvement of farm activities:

1. ...................................................................................................................................

2. ...................................................................................................................................

3. ......................................................................................................................................

4. ......................................................................................................................................

5. ......................................................................................................................................

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 Part – D
Drudgery faced by the rural women while performing different farm

activities:

SI. Particulars More Moderate Less

No. physical physical physical
strain and strain and strain and
fatigue (3) fatigue (2) fatigue (1)

1. Stubble collection: While

doing land preparation it
needs physical activities.
(Hardening of knee joint,
pulling of body muscles,
hands and legs strain)

Seed treatment: a) without

using glows harmful micro-
2.
organisms are sticky in their
hands.(swelling, itching)

Sowing: Sowing activities

required hard work (muscle
3.
pain of waist, neck pain,
hardening of knee)

4. Weeding: Weeding
operations by use of sickle.
(Effect on heart rate, muscle
pain and reduce the strain on
lower back and legs)

Cutting of standing crop by

using sickle: Women’s are
5.
involved long time in cutting
operation. (Body discomfort,
increasing blood pressure
,heart rate, legs pain)

Picking of matured pods by

hand: Women’s involved in
6.
this activity have (Loss of
energy, irritation of hands,
pain in hands, shoulder pain)

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