Tropentag, September 11 - 13, 2024, Vienna "Explore opportunities... for managing natural resources and a better life for all"

Gender and socio-cultural dimensions of agricultural intensification in a coastal area of southwest Bangladesh

¹Bangladesh Agricultural University, Agricultural Economics
²Bangladesh Agricultural University, Agricultural Economics
³Bangladesh Agricultural University, Students' Affairs Division

Abstract

Gender disparities in agricultural technologies and practices persist in the farm production of Bangladesh. Keeping this view in mind, this study aims to examine the gender and socio-cultural dimensions influencing agricultural intensification in the polder regions of Southwest Bangladesh. A random sampling method was employed to select 350 farm households from two villages of polder 30 area under Khulna district. The collected data were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistical tools as well as appropriate indices. Poisson regression was used to identify the factors influencing women’s decision-making power and their participation in agriculture while Ordinary Least Square was used to measure women’s bargaining power at household level. The study found that the introduction of improved technologies resulted in a decrease in men's workload but an increase in women's workload. The quantitative results revealed that women in the studied region had lower levels of participation compared to their male counterparts in all farming activities except harvesting, threshing, and storage. Additionally, women had greater involvement in various household activities compared to men. Decision-making power regarding production methods, variety selection, input procurement, and marketing were largely influenced by socio-cultural norms, with women having limited influence. Women also faced limitations in terms of farming knowledge due to limited access to technical information and training. The study identified several factors which significantly influenced women's decision-making, bargaining power, and farming participation. These factors included the level of participation in farming activities, perception of women, household size and employment status. Furthermore, constraints to agricultural intensification identified by men included lack of training, pauses in fieldwork in the absence of men, and lack of capital for mechanisation. Women highlighted limited economic freedom, unpaid and increased workload, physical weakness, and inadequate knowledge as key constraints. Potential solutions to address these constraints varied between men and women where men emphasised on the importance of training for skill development and input use, while women emphasised on the recognition of their contributions. This study provides strategic gender-focused policy recommendations to attain better gender outcomes regarding the agricultural technologies and practices in the coastal polders of southwest Bangladesh.

Keywords: Gender disparities, participation, perception, socio-cultural dimensions, women’s decision-making, workload

Contact Address: Sadika Haque, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Agricultural Economics, Bangladesh agricultural university, 2202 Mymensingh, Bangladesh, e-mail: sadikahaquebau.edu.bd