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Type : Other Article

Use of ICT by Farm Women: A Step Towards Empowerment

Sonali Sharma and Snehlata Maheshwari

Abstract

There has been a lot of interest during the last decades in employing information and communication technologies (ICTs) for achieving development. While many of these initiatives have benefitted rural women by way of access to new information and new employment opportunities, women still face a number of constraints in accessing ICTs. This paper explores the constraints of women in agriculture and how ICTs sought out. This paper concludes that, while most of the ICT initiatives are disseminating new information and knowledge use for rural women, many are not able to make use of it, due to lack of access to complementary sources of support and services. There is immense potential for ICTs to create new employment opportunities for rural women and to contribute significant gains in efficiency and effectiveness in rural women enterprises. While ICTs can play an important role in empowering rural women, women’s access and use of ICTs and empowerment clearly depends on the vision and operational agenda of the organizational agenda of the organization applying the ICTs. Therefore, strengthening the ICT initiatives can go a long way in empowering rural women.

Keyword: Agriculture; Information and communication technology; Farm women; Women Empowerment;

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