Constraints perceived by women self-help groups in horticultural enterprises and suggestions to overcome it

Introduction

Women play a significant role in horticulture enterprises, contributing in various ways that are crucial for the success and sustainability of the industry. Women contribute a substantial portion of the labour force in horticulture enterprises. They are involved in various tasks such as planting, weeding, harvesting, and post-harvest handling etc. Many women have inherited traditional knowledge about plant cultivation, pest management, and soil conservation practices, which are invaluable for sustainable agriculture. They establish their own farms, nurseries, and small-scale businesses related to horticulture, contributing to economic growth and rural development. They are involved in activities such as packaging, branding, and marketing of produce, enabling them to reach consumers locally, nationally, and even internationally. Their participation in horticulture enterprises empowers them economically and socially. It provides them with opportunities for income generation, skill development, and decision-making, thereby contributing to gender equality and women's empowerment. However despite of crucial role of women in horticultural enterprises, there exist a pressing need to understand and address constraints faced by women due to various factors. Women ranked such constraints as lack of access to land, lack of capital and credit facilities, non-provision of information by agricultural officers on horticultural production technologies, ineffective extension services are some of the major hindrances to effective achievement of the set objectives of improving socio-economic well-being of women farmers according to Sulo et al., (2012) [9] . Gender-based discrimination and social norms may limit women's participation in decision-making processes, access to resources, and opportunities for leadership within horticulture enterprises. Stereotypical perceptions about women's roles and abilities may undermine their confidence and agency in the sector. Nikam et al., (2019) [10] revealed that due to under developed market structure women are not getting proper price for their produce. Therefore, marketing systems needs to improve. Women in horticulture enterprises may encounter challenges in accessing markets, negotiating fair prices, and establishing market linkages. Limited market information, inadequate market infrastructure, and gender-based discrimination can hinder women's ability to market their products effectively. However constraints can be categorized into resource, technological, marketing, financial, extension and social constraints. Unavailability of land, unavailability of seeds, unavailability of herbicides, lack of irrigation, high cost input perceived as some of the resource constraints. More expenditure on technology management is due to technological constraints; Lack of transportation to distant market is due to marketing constraints; Lack of sufficient funds due to financial constraints; lack of proper demonstrations due to extension constraints and political interference due to social constraints. www.extensionjournal.com

Materials and Methods

Ex-post facto design was used for the study which is also known as after the fact research. District, blocks and GPs were selected purposively while respondents were selected through disproportionate random sampling. The study was conducted using a structured interview schedule. Questions were asked to respondents and scores were obtained on different categories of questionnaire such as resource constraints, technological constraints, marketing constraints, financial sconstraints, extension constraints, social constraints. The responses were recorded on 3 point continuum of very severe, severe, less severe with corresponding score of 3, 2, 1 respectively. Further scores of each problem were aggregated to calculate the mean score of each problem. Higher the mean value of the problem, more its importance is.

Results and Discussion

Resource Constraints

High cost input ranked I as the most severe resource constraints followed by unavailability of seeds, lack of irrigation, unavailability of land and unavailability of herbicides ranked as II, III, IV, V respectively. Women in horticultural enterprises face a myriad of resource constraints that significantly impede their ability to thrive and expand their businesses. Furthermore, societal norms and cultural barriers, coupled with legal and policy shortcomings, exacerbate these challenges. Additionally, fostering an inclusive environment that challenges gender biases and promotes equal opportunities is crucial. By effectively addressing these constraints, women self-help groups can significantly contribute to the growth and sustainability of horticultural enterprises, leading to economic empowerment and improved livelihoods for women.

Future scope

By focusing on these areas, the future scope for overcoming constraints faced by women SHGs in horticultural enterprises looks promising. Empowering women through targeted interventions and supportive policies can lead to increased productivity, improved livelihoods, and greater gender equality in the agricultural sector.

References

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