Vol. 2, Issue 6, Part M (2016)

Women have a specific role in both rice production and post-harvest activities yet they often, do not receive proportionate social and economic benefits when improvements in the cultivation at the field level are initiated. No worthwhile change in any sphere is possible without considering the gender issues and without women and men accepting the change. To make women realize the change and contribute fully to the development in any field it is imperative to develop their potentiality by improving their knowledge, attitude and skills. Despite significance of women’s role in agriculture development evidence throughout the developing countries shows that the women farming knowledge and skill levels remain very low. Among the key reasons for those is the lack of technical advice they receive on production and marketing, cultural practices and skills related training in farming technologies. In order to enhance the productivity system for small holder farmers, a careful assessment of gender and labour roles becomes essential.