Extension-facilitated technology access and its effect on reducing gender-based workload disparities in farming

Introduction

A gender-based workload disparity exists when one gender typically women in smallholder farming systems carries a disproportionate share of agricultural labor relative to their access to labor-saving inputs and decision-making power [1] . Across South and Southeast Asia, women contribute between 60% and 80% of the labor in rice-based farming yet control less than 10% of farm machinery and improved tools [2] . This imbalance affects not only farm efficiency but also women's health, educational opportunities, and participation in economic activities outside agriculture [3] . Agricultural extension services can potentially reduce these disparities by actively channeling labor-saving technologies toward women farmers through demonstration programs, subsidized access, and hands-on training [4] . Yet most extension systems in South Asia remain male-dominated in staffing and client outreach, which means women are often bypassed when new tools and techniques are introduced [5,6] . Sri Lanka's Northern Province presents a particularly relevant context: the region is recovering from decades of civil conflict, with many female-headed households managing farms with limited resources and minimal access to mechanization [7] . This research measured the effect of extension-facilitated technology access on gender-based workload distribution in farming households across two districts of the Northern Province. It aimed to quantify the workload reduction achieved by specific technologies and to identify the barriers preventing sustained adoption among women farmers [8] .

Theoretical framework

The research drew on Moser's Gender Roles Framework [9] , which distinguishes between women's productive, reproductive, and community roles and argues that technology interventions must account for all three to avoid simply shifting burdens from one domain to another. The framework was combined with Sen's Capability Approach [10] , which holds that access to resources including technology expands individual capabilities and freedoms. Together, these frameworks predict that extension programs providing women with labor-saving tools should both reduce time spent on physically demanding farm tasks and free time for activities that expand broader livelihood capabilities.

Materials and Methods

Materials

This research was conducted through the University of Jaffna's School of Agriculture in Kilinochchi, Sri Lanka, between February 2022 and September 2023. Ethical clearance was obtained from the University of Jaffna Research Ethics Review Committee (Protocol UJ-RERC-2021-AG-027, approved January 20, 2022). A purposive sample of 188 farming households was drawn from eight Grama Niladhari divisions across Kilinochchi and Mullaitivu districts. Selection criteria required that the www.extensionjournal.com household included at least one adult woman actively involved in farm labor. Baseline workload data were collected between February and April 2022, before households participated in extension technology demonstrations organized by the Provincial Department of Agriculture. Follow-up data were collected between July and September 2023, approximately 12 months after technology introduction [11] .

Methods

Workload was measured using a structured time-use diary covering a typical seven-day period, with activities categorized into land preparation, planting/transplanting, weeding, harvesting, post-harvest processing, and transport. Both the primary woman and man in each household completed diaries at baseline and follow-up. Technologies demonstrated included mechanical push-weeders, drum seeders, small-scale threshers, solar dryers, and ergonomic harvesting tools. Paired t-tests were used to compare preand post-intervention workload hours within each gender group. The gender workload gap was calculated as the difference between women's and men's mean weekly hours. All analyses used Stata version 17 [12] . Women's total weekly workload fell by 12.6 hours (23.2%), with the largest reductions in weeding (-4.8 hrs) and postharvest processing (-3.6 hrs). Men's workload decreased modestly by 2.3 hours. The gender workload gap narrowed from 12.2 hours to 1.9 hours per week [13] .

Results

Discussion

The 23.2% reduction in women's weekly workload is substantial and compares favorably with findings from Bangladesh, where a similar extension-led mechanization program reduced women's rice processing time by 18-26% [4] . The narrowing of the gender workload gap from 12.2 to 1.9 hours suggests that the technologies introduced were well matched to the tasks where gender disparities were greatest particularly weeding and post-harvest processing, which are traditionally women's responsibilities in Sri Lankan farming systems [7] . That equipment cost was the leading barrier (52.7%) underscores a persistent challenge in gender-responsive extension: demonstrating a technology's benefit isn't enough if women lack the purchasing power to acquire it independently [14] . Group-based ownership models where women's farmer organizations collectively purchase and share equipment have shown promise in similar contexts in India and Nepal [6] . The 18.6% reporting cultural resistance highlights that household power dynamics can limit women's technology adoption even when economic and technical barriers are addressed [15] .

Practical applications

Extension programs targeting gender workload equity should pair technology demonstrations with financing mechanisms such as revolving credit funds or subsidized group purchase schemes. Including male household members in awareness sessions about the household-wide benefits of women's reduced drudgery may help address cultural resistance. After-sales service networks for scale equipment need strengthening through local artisan training and spare parts supply chains.

Conclusion

Extension-facilitated technology access substantially reduced gender-based workload disparities in farming households across Sri Lanka's Northern Province. Women's weekly farm labor dropped by over 12 hours while the gender workload gap shrank from 12.2 to 1.9 hours. Mechanical weeders and improved dryers produced the largest time savings for women. Equipment cost remains the primary barrier to sustained adoption, and cultural resistance from household members affects nearly one in five women. Extension approaches that combine technology demonstration with group financing, male engagement, and local equipment maintenance support are most likely to sustain workload equity gains over the long term.

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