Estimation of Workload of Farm Women in Maize Production System

In India, maize is the third most important food crops after rice and wheat. According to advance estimate it is cultivated in 8.7 m ha (2010-11) mainly during kharif season which covers 80 per cent area. Accordingly, women participation and their work load in agriculture is increasing. Hence, the present study is an attempt to estimate the workload of farm women in maize production system. Fifty women actively involved in maize production system were selected for the study. Two villages viz., Hullambi and B.Gudihal villages of Kalaghatagi taluka were identified as operational villages. The questionnaire was used for detailed data collection on characterization of drudgery of women in maize production system through personal interview method. The drudgery experienced by the farm women was assessed by seven parameters viz., physical load, posture load, repetitive strain, physiological load, time load and body pain & musculo skeletal disorder. These parameters were recorded by using the five point scale of the perception of the farm women. The calculated drudgery index in maize production system depicted that among five activities, dibbling (DS: 19.96) was the most drudgery prone activity followed by cob removing (DS: 19.57), top dressing of fertilizer (DS: 16.74), removal of stalks and stubbles (DS: 15.87) and weeding (DS: 14.04). The statistical analysis revealed that the factors causing drudgery were significantly different and it is inferred that among the six factors postural load, physiological load and musculoskeletal disorder were influencing variations in respective orders of priority for total drudgery. Hence, this calls for the intervention of gender friendly improved agricultural tools which reduce the drudgery of farm women and increase the work efficiency.