| Author | Pradhan (Gorkhaly), Roshani |
| Call Number | AIT Thesis no.HS-97-06 |
| Subject(s) | Women in agriculture--Nepal--Bhaktapur
|
| Note | A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science, School of Environment, Resources and Development |
| Publisher | Asian Institute of Technology |
| Series Statement | Thesis ; no. HS-97-06 |
| Abstract | Gender analysis is a recently developed concept and has been adopted as a socio
economic tool to analyze the responsibility, contribution and relative benefits shared between
men and women in a society. Despite women's contribution to the family support system they
are rarely recognized as individual farmers. This study is based on a combination of qualitative
and quantitative data analysis of seventy-five farmers in Thimi area of Bhaktaput district. The
farmers are classified into three categories depending on soil type, accessibility to water, and
extent of vegetable cultivation: full-time vegetable cultivator (F), part-time vegetable cultivator
(P) and non-vegetable cultivator (N). The collected data were analyzed quantitatively using
frequency distribution and f-test in SPSS-pc-4.0. Harvard analytical tool was used to analyze
the qualitative data. The objective is to assess relationships between access to and control over
productive resources in terms of decision making at intra-household level. Which in fact is
essential to pinpoint the potential and constraints of both men and women to fully participate in
making agricultural development sustainable.
It is apparent from the research that besides profit, gender is one of the contributing
factors for selecting a particular type of farming practices. The availability of active male
members in the household is responsible for changing subsistence economy to commercial
economy. The findings related to socio economic factors reveal that women in general do not
have equal status, education, political clout and employment as compared with men. The
average household income of full-time vegetable cultivator is higher than part time vegetable
cultivator and non-vegetable cultivator. Women's contribution in terms of workload is as par
with men in full-time vegetable cultivator. However increased household income does not
necessarily improve women's control over household surplus because of inherent structural
inequality between men and women over the productive resources and benefits.
Traditionally under the semi subsistence system, women had accumulated an impressive
wealth of knowledge and skill. They played an important role as resource managers of the
household, and had right of common property. However as technological changes in
productive process enter their farmyard they have been bypassed by extension workers,
development officers and even by men members of their own households. This external
intervention widens the knowledge gap between both sexes. The study finds that wage rate is
determined by sex not by ability. Marketing is totally done by male members. The unequal
wage plays an important role to undervalue worker's contribution. Unequal wage rate not only
deepens the unequal gender relation but also displaces male labor from vegetable farming. This
adds more weight to poor women's triple burden.
An important finding is the unsustainable farming practice regarding water resource
utilization, agro chemicals application. Despite nearness of capital city, the farmers both men
and women were found to be unaware about possible consequences of short term profit
oriented agriculture. The government seems to have overlook the need to disseminate not only
information on the danger of mishandling of modern inputs to agriculture but also the
advantage of indigenous agricultural practices. |
| Year | 1997 |
| Corresponding Series Added Entry | Asian Institute of Technology. Thesis ; no. HS-97-06 |
| Type | Thesis |
| School | School of Environment, Resources, and Development (SERD) |
| Department | Other Field of Studies (No Department) |
| Academic Program/FoS | Human Settlement (HS) |
| Chairperson(s) | Darunee Tantiwiramanond; |
| Examination Committee(s) | Thapa, G.B.;Dale, Reidar; |
| Scholarship Donor(s) | United Kingdom; |
| Degree | Thesis (M.Sc.) - Asian Institute of Technology, 1997 |