ABSTRACT
The eastern Indo-Gangetic Plains in India are dominated by small farms, low levels of agricultural mechanization, irrigation and consequently low productivity and incomes. Even though women have traditionally contributed large proportions of agricultural labour in these farming systems, their contributions have remained invisible. The current study was designed to understand the gender dynamics, particularly gendered participation in a rice value chain over a period of 10 years. It was conducted in 2015 in three states of eastern India – Bihar, Odisha and West Bengal. The results, based on a survey of 1484 women farmers reveal that while men continue to participate in activities along the chain, the participation of woman exhibits a declining trend except in post-harvest activities and marketing. The results also established a change in norms and perceptions of women and, their control over decision making. The study concludes that even though we see decreased women’s participation in agricultural activities except post-harvest and marketing and increased decision-making authority, but the question arises, does it truly reflect that women are now having emerging opportunities to ‘decide’.
