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COMPENDIUM, IEEC-2023   ( ISBN : 978-81-967860-4-5 )
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Theme-4: Advances in Social Management in Agriculture and Allied Sciences

Introduction of mechanization in groundnut production system for drudgery reduction and to enhance farm income

Rajeshwari Desai, Geeta Chitagubbi and Renuka Salunke

All India Coordinated Research Project on Women in Agriculture, Research Complex, University of Agricultural Sciences, Dharwad-5, Karnataka
rajeshwarimanohardesai@gmail.com

Abstract

The agricultural sector employs 80% of all economically active women in India; they comprise 33% of the agriculture labour force and 48% of the self-employed farmers. Groundnut is a major oil seed in India and is considered the “king of oilseeds”. It is one of the most important food and cash crops in our country. In groundnut production, women are involved in all stages of crop production, processing, and food preparation. They work as programmed robots destined for drudgery as they are deprived of technology access, health care access, and employment alternatives. Hence, the present study was conducted to empower farm women with scientific knowledge and gender-friendly, appropriate technologies developed on the principles of ergonomics through training. The technology package consisted of a saral kurpi, fertilizer trolley, manual and mechanized groundnut strippers, and decorticators. The training programmes were conducted in Kotur, Marewad, Sulla, and Surshettikoppa villages of Dharwad and Hubli taluks of Dharwad district from Karnataka state during 2021-23. About 30 farm women, 37 farm women, 33 farm women, and 60 farm women were selected from respective villages. Thus, the total no. of beneficiaries of these training progrmmes was 200 farm women. The results of the pre test revealed that the farm women had less knowledge regarding improved technologies in groundnut production systems before the training programmes. The post-test scores showed knowledge gain among the farm women. Further, the majority of the farm women accepted the technology package and opined that these are gender-friendly, drudgery reducing, convenient, and comfortable to use. Hence, The Government and other agricultural institutions should organize intensive training programmes on the use of these farm technologies to promote and popularize them. It should give subsidies on the purchase of improved farm technologies to hasten the adoption rate among the farming community.

IEEC-2023 at RARI (SKNAU, Jobner), Jaipur, Rajasthan organised by Society of Extension Education, Agra, India