Participation and Role of Women in Dairy Farming, Jaipur district, Rajasthan.

Abstract

Woman has always been the strength of agriculture and other related activities such as dairy farming, animal husbandry, fisheries, etc. but hercontrol over agriculture resources, livestock and its products is minimal. A survey study was conducted to find out the participation and decision making of women in dairy farming inChomu Tehsilof Jaipur district of Rajasthan. 100 farm women were selected from a total of 200 families, which owned more than five milk producinganimals,by simple random sampling. Data were collected through personal interview technique where astructured interview schedulewas used.Dairy farming activities were divided in three categories: Animal care, Management of Animals,and Processing andMarketing of Milk Products. Majority ofthe women (45%),involved in dairy farming were in the age group of 25-35 years,and most of them (87%) were from OBC category. 67percent ofthe women lived in joint families and 40% women had medium land holding. Women’s participation was mainly (73%) in daily animal care activities such as feeding & watering, storage of feed and fodder, taking animals for grazing, cleaning the animal sheds and milking. They were also doing some management related activities like maintaining farm and dairy records (76%),but participation and involvement in decision making was found very low in processing and marketing of dairy farm product especially in products, which required greatertechnical skills and are to be sold in the outside market i.e. Paneer, Rasgulla and Gulabjamun. Dairy products like Ghee and Mawawhichneed less technical skilland can be sold locally;women were actively involved in processing and marketing. Women of younger age hadsignificant role in decision making regarding animal care and management related activities but their participation and domination wasalsoless in activities of economic nature. The study concluded that dairy farm women need to strengthen more through extension work and better information flow to empower them,and make dairy farming a sustainable enterprise.