Work-life balance among Krishi Sakhis

Introduction

Krishi Sakhis are grassroots-level women extension workers who play a vital role in promoting sustainable agriculture and improving rural livelihoods in India. The term "Krishi Sakhi," meaning "friend of farmers," reflects their function as trained community resource persons who provide technical guidance, encourage improved agricultural practices, and support women farmers in enhancing productivity and income. This initiative operates under the National Rural Livelihoods Mission (NRLM), which focuses on empowering rural women through self-help groups (SHGs) and livelihood interventions. Selected from SHGs, Krishi Sakhis receive training in areas such as crop production, soil health, organic farming, and pest management, enabling them to bridge the gap between formal agricultural systems and local communities. The importance of Krishi Sakhis has increased with the feminization of agriculture, as women constitute a major share of the agricultural workforce. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO, 2011), women contribute nearly 43 per cent of the global agricultural labor force, and in India, about 60-70per cent of rural women are engaged in agriculture. Under NRLM and related programs such as MKSP, more than 30,000-50,000 Krishi Sakhis have been trained across various states (Ministry of Rural Development, 2020). Their interventions have been associated with increased crop productivity, reduced input costs, and improved household food security. In states like Karnataka, they have played a significant role in promoting sustainable practices such as organic farming, vermicomposting, and water conservation. Despite their significant contributions, Krishi Sakhis often face challenges in maintaining a proper work-life balance due to their dual responsibilities at work and home. Their www.extensionjournal.com roles involve extensive fieldwork, training activities, and coordination, which, combined with household duties and childcare, increase their workload and stress levels. Therefore, understanding work-life balance is essential to ensure their well-being and effectiveness. Providing supportive work environments, flexible arrangements, and family support can help improve their quality of life and enhance the sustainability of their contributions to agricultural development.

Methodology

The present study employed a purposive random sampling technique to select a sample of 217 Krishi Sakhis from four districts of Karnataka, namely Hanamanamatti, Bijapur, Bagalkot, and Dharwad. Initially, the districts were purposively selected based on the active implementation of Krishi Sakhi programmes under the National Rural Livelihoods Mission (NRLM). Subsequently, lists of Krishi Sakhis were obtained from concerned authorities and selfhelp group (SHG) records. From these lists, respondents were selected using simple random sampling to ensure equal representation and to minimize selection bias. The table 1, presents the distribution of respondents based on their demographic characteristics. A total of 217 respondents were included in the study. With regard to age, more than half of the respondents (53.0%) belonged to the 31-40 years age group followed by 35 per cent in the 20-30 years category, while only 11.1 per cent were in the 41-50 years group. This indicates that the majority of participants were in their middle adulthood, which is typically considered a productive working age group. Similar findings were reported by Patil and Hosamani (2021) [5] in their study on Krishi Sakhis in Karnataka, where most respondents were in the middle age group, reflecting their greater involvement in agricultural extension activities.

Tools used for study

Results and discussion

In terms of educational status, nearly half of the respondents (49.8%) had completed education up to the 10 th standard. About 39.6 per cent had completed Pre-University Course (PUC), whereas only 10.6 per cent had attained a degreelevel education. This reflects a relatively low level of higher education among the respondents, suggesting limited access to advanced educational opportunities.

Regarding family size, a majority of the respondents (70.5%) belonged to families consisting of 4-6 members. A smaller proportion (18.9%) had large families with more than seven members, while only 10.6 per cent had small families with fewer than three members. This suggests that medium-sized families are most common among the study population. www.extensionjournal.com

Considering the type of family, most respondents (64.1%) belonged to nuclear families, while 35.9% were part of joint families. This indicates a shift towards nuclear family systems among the respondents.

In terms of work experience, a significant majority (61.8%) had three years of experience, followed by 18.9% with two years and 14.3% with one year of experience. Only 5.1% had more than four years of experience. This suggests that most respondents were relatively experienced in their occupation, particularly with around three years of work exposure. which aligns with the findings of Shankar and Naik (2021) [7] , who noted that most Krishi Sakhis had moderate experience due to the relatively recent expansion of such programs under the National Rural Livelihoods Mission. [5] , who found that although Krishi Sakhis have structured working hours, their responsibilities often extend beyond official time due to field visits and farmer interactions. Despite this, many respondents perceived themselves as managing both domains effectively, largely due to flexible work structures and community-based functioning.

Regarding the ability to balance work and life, a significant majority (88.5%) reported that they are able to maintain a balance between their professional and personal lives, whereas 11.5 per cent indicated difficulty in achieving such balance. This suggests that most respondents perceive themselves as capable of managing both domains effectively. When asked about worrying about work during leave, more than half of the respondents (57.6%) reported that they never think about work during their leave period. However, 36.9% stated that they always worry about work even when on leave, and 5.5% reported doing so sometimes. This reflects that a considerable proportion of respondents still experience psychological attachment to work even during rest periods. his aligns with the study of Naik and Patil (2022) [3] , which highlighted that Krishi Sakhis often experience role conflict as they balance household responsibilities with agricultural extension duties. Similarly, Ramesh and Geetha (2020) [6] reported that continuous engagement with farmers, travel, and seasonal workload contribute to mental preoccupation with work, even during rest periods. Regarding the management of stress arising from work, 42.4% of respondents reported that they sometimes manage their stress effectively, while 21.2% often do so. However, 36.4% indicated that they never manage their stress, suggesting a gap in effective coping strategies among a significant number of respondents. Comparable findings were noted by Shankar and Naik (2021) [7] , who observed that while Krishi Sakhis adopt informal coping mechanisms such as listening to music, yoga, and social interaction, structured stress management interventions are largely lacking.

In terms of ways to balance work and life, listening to songs was the most commonly adopted method (39.6%), followed by practicing yoga (26.3%), engaging in entertainment activities (19.8%), and other methods (14.3%). This indicates that respondents use both recreational and healthrelated approaches to maintain balance. With regard to organizational support, 56.8% of respondents reported receiving other types of facilities, while 23% had access to health programmes, 15.2% received transportation facilities, and only 5% had access to telephones for personal use. This suggests variability in the type and extent of organizational support provided. Similarly study by Patil et al. (2022) [3] , who emphasized that institutional support plays a crucial role in enhancing job satisfaction and worklife balance. However, the dual role of technology as both a facilitator and a hindrance, along with reported stressrelated health issues such as obesity and headaches, reflects the complex nature of work-life dynamics among Krishi Sakhis.

Concerning family involvement in organizational activities, 77.5% of respondents stated that their families were involved in award functions, and 82% reported that social functions were conducted in the office based on family time. Finally, an overwhelming majority (91.5%) of respondents believed that the success of an organization depends on employees' work-life balance, while only 8.5% disagreed. This emphasizes the perceived importance of maintaining a healthy balance between work and personal life for organizational effectiveness.

Conclusion

The study highlights that Krishi Sakhis, despite being actively engaged in agricultural extension services and belonging largely to the productive age group with moderate experience, face a complex interplay of workplace stress and mental health challenges. Although the majority perceived that they maintained a satisfactory work-life balance and expressed positive attitudes towards their work, significant proportions experienced moderate stress, depression, anxiety, fatigue, and occasional disruption of family life due to occupational demands. The reliance on informal coping strategies and the variability in organizational support further indicate gaps in structured interventions for stress management and well-being. Therefore, there is a clear need to strengthen institutional support systems, promote effective work-life balance practices, and introduce targeted mental health and stress management programs to enhance both the personal wellbeing and professional efficiency of Krishi Sakhis.

References

1. Food and Agriculture Organization. The state of food and agriculture: women in agriculture -closing the gender gap for development. Rome: FAO; 2011.
2. Ministry of Rural Development, Government of India. Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana -National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM): annual report. New Delhi: Government of India; 2020.
3. Naik R, Patil M. Work-life balance and role conflict among Krishi Sakhis in Northern Karnataka. International Journal of Agricultural Extension. 2022;10(1):45-52.
4. Patil R, Kumari V, Desai S. Organizational support and work-life balance among Krishi Sakhis under rural livelihood programs. Journal of Community Mobilization and Sustainable Development. 2022;17(2):301-307.
5. Patil S, Hosamani S. Role and performance of Krishi Sakhis in agricultural extension services in Karnataka. Journal of Rural Development. 2021;40(2):215-228.
6. Ramesh B, Geetha N. Workplace stress and job satisfaction among community-based agricultural workers in Karnataka. Journal of Extension Systems. 2020;36(1):89-97.
7. Shankar K, Naik V. Occupational stress and coping mechanisms among women extension workers (Krishi Sakhis). Indian Journal of Extension Education. 2021;57(3):72-76.