INVOLVEMENT OF THE RURAL WOMEN IN HOMESTEAD FARMING

Abstract

The main purpose of the study was to ascertain rural women's extent of involving towards homestead farming. The study explored the relationship of the selected socioeconomic characteristics of the rural women and their extent of involving and problem encountered faced by the rural women in performing these farming activities. Two selected villages named Shutiakhali and Chorkhai of Sadar Upazila under Mymensingh district were the locale of the investigation. The villages constituted rural farm families of 1070 of total population (705 from Shutiakhali and 365 from Chorkhai ). Data were collected (about tO percent of the population) from the selected 107 housewives by following a table of random number. The rural women's extent of involvement in farming activities was measured by considering the frequency of performance. Pearson's Product Moment Coefficient of Correlation (r) was used and a correlation matrix of dependent and independent variables were prepared to explore the relationship of the selected socio-economic characteristics of the rural women and their extent of involvement in farming activities. The study reveals that the major portion (43 percent) of the rural women had medium involvement in performing farming activities while 19.6 percent had high involvement in farming activities and the rest had low performance. Out of four farming activities involvement in poultry raising ranked first followed by involvement in vegetable cultivation, goat cattle rearing and post-harvest activities. Pearson's Product Moment Correlation Coefficient (r) was calculated. Among nine characteristics of the rural women, their age, educatiom farm size, annual family income, cosmopoliteness, extension contact and knowledge about homestead farming showed significant and positive relationship with their extent of involvement in the homestead farming activities. While the rest of the characteristics viz, family size and organizational participation did not have any significant relationship with their extent of involvement in homestead farming and showed a negative trend but family size showed a positive trend. The 'marketing problem 'was mentioned as the number one problem regarding homestead farming. While the problems disease of poultry' and high price of agricultural inputs (fertilizer, pesticide, etc.)' occupied 2" and position in order of ranking.