Generation of income and employment for poor women through direct participation in sugarcane cultivation [in Bangladesh]
1995
Ali, M.K.
Gono Unnayan Prochesta (GUP) with financial assistance from Ford Foundation and technical assistance from Sugarcane Research and Training Inst. started experimenting sugarcane cultivation by involving poor, landless women through their direct participation in field activities e.g seed preparation, land preparation, sowing, intercultural operations, harvesting and also processing of gur (molasses) from 1987-88 growing season. GUP arranged land for the women cooperatives either on lease or on share-crop basis and extended credit facilities. Generation of employment and sharing profit were the major objectives. Yields of canes for women cooperatives for three consecutive seasons were 52.73,49.09 and 30.95 t/ha, respectively compared to 52.51, 53.94 and 41.82 t/ha of the farmers (all men), respectively for the corresponding 3 seasons i.e., 1987-88, 1988-89 and 1989-90. Some women co- operatives earned a good amount of profit, other suffered loss. Comparatively low cane yields of women co-operatives were attributed to extensive crop damage done through cattle grazing, chewing and pilferage, most of which were intentional. Hostile attitude of the local people (men) was observed towards women working in the sugarcane fields. Extensive crop damage of women's plots through cattle grazing, chewing and theft can be regarded as indication of social tensions created by women's working in sugarcane field.
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Este registro bibliográfico ha sido proporcionado por Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council