Open AccessWomen’s Role in Agriculture and Food Security
Author(s) -
Amita Shah,
Kuntala LahiriDutt,
Itishree Pattnaik
Publication year - 2022
Publication title -
ecology, economy and society--the insee journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2581-6152
pISSN - 2581-6101
DOI - 10.37773/ees.v5i1.630
Subject(s) - west bengal , agriculture , food security , work (physics) , diversity (politics) , geography , economic growth , development economics , socioeconomics , business , political science , agricultural economics , economics , engineering , mechanical engineering , archaeology , law
Ushering in the next phase of agriculture in India requires a deeper understanding of the growth process across regions and socio-economic contexts with an emphasis on strengthening the role of women. This paper argues that it is critical to capture socio-cultural diversity across various agro-climatic zones to arrive at a more detailed understanding of women’s labour contributions within the changing landscape of food security. The paper is based on an extensive survey carried out in the states of Gujarat and West Bengal. The analysis shows the immense contribution of women in the agricultural sector. Women’s contribution in farms is higher in West Bengal than Gujarat, but in Gujarat their contribution in the allied sector is significant. Women’s work in farms and their involvement in decision-making are the important determining factors for maintaining household food security. Thus, women’s roles in the farm need to be strengthened for the next phase of agriculture.