Feminization of agriculture
The history of the feminization
of agriculture is not anything new, it dates back several decades, during which
our forefathers who lived in villages spent their entire life in the
agricultural sector. According to the latest statistics of the agriculture census,
there has been an increase in women farmers, either by their own interest or by
force.
One need not perform any
herculean task to search for reasons for the increase in the percentage of
women active in the agricultural sector. In addition to the mounting
unemployment, poor economic status and poverty pushed them to be employed in
agriculture, either in their own land or as wage workers. Migration of men to
urban from rural acted as fuel to the fire. It is very lamentable that, when
most of the world is running after modernism and consumerism, this section of
society is facing the deadliest crisis of even survival.
In the morning I saw ‘her’ in the
kitchen, in plenty of tasks- cooking, washing, cleaning, taking
care of children, husband, parents, pets, etc. Being a housewife is not an easy
one, managing the house is the toughest job ever. After some time, at 8’o clock
she is in the field, tilling the land, watering, sowing, reaping,
transplanting, weeding, storing, etc. Besides these, she is forced to undertake
cattle management, milking, fodder collection, etc. During monsoon, her
responsibilities increase, from dawn to dusk, the full time she is engaged in
tasks one after another. No change in summer or winter, it is really an irony
‘She’ who has always contributed a lot to the progress and prosperity of the
family is still subjected to the wrath and whims of society.
‘She’ is not a ‘superwoman’,
consider her as an ordinary woman. A lot is said about the changed state of
woman farmers. A lot is said of their strengths and abilities. At present, the
urgent need is that, ideal female empowerment that would provide social,
economic, educational, political, and psychological rights to all-female
agricultural workers. But sadly say, a program having all these desirable
characteristics is a dream. They should be granted easy loans since most of
them are very poor and unable to invest any money for the improvement of their
field. Stop shedding few ‘crocodile tears for her.
Our government must pay serious attention to
the development of agriculture and the welfare of woman farmers in our country
because food is a basic necessity of people as well as of the nation. How can a
nation become strong if it is suffering from a shortage of food? Luckily,
‘Kudumbashree Mission’, the women empowerment program implemented by the state
government of Kerala, India is now perhaps on the way to reaching its zenith. Its
main objective is to improve the conditions of women and eradicate poverty.
To solve the problems of woman agricultural workers, they should be given decent wages equal to that of men. They should also be supplied with better implements, better seeds, and better fertilizers at low rates so that they can increase agricultural production. If there are agricultural-based industries and manufacturing of agricultural implements in their own villages, it may help to improve the employment situation of villagers to a great extent and thus villagers become self-sufficient in their economy. Setting up agro-industries in rural areas is another one.
Perhaps the most important need
is to manufacture female-friendly tools and machinery for different types of
farm operations. Agricultural training is another one. Female farmers
should also be given a reasonable price for their products so that they are
encouraged to introduce improvements and increase the production of food
grains. In this way, we can solve the food problem of our nation to a great
extent. Let us hope, the future of women farmers will be bright and they will
justify their abilities by rising to the occasion.
Also read:
https://letuslearnonline1.blogspot.com/2020/12/true-friend.html
