Socio-Economic and Institutional Constraints Faced by Rural Women in Rice Production: A Case Study from the Rice Belt of Punjab, Pakistan

Abstract

Women are an integral part of agriculture system in Pakistan, where agriculture is the mainstay for millions of farm families. However, the work of women in agriculture is usually less acknowledged. In this study, an attempt was made to explore the key challenges of rural women working in the rice production system. This study was conducted in the prominent rice-producing district of Sialkoat. A total of 16 purposively selected women were interviewed face to face with the help of trained female enumerators on a structured, validated and reliable questionnaire. The collected data were analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). Mainly, Principal Component Analysis (PCA) was employed on the data to explore the critical challenges. KMO Measure of sampling adequacy was adequate (KMO=0.658), and Bartlett's Test of Sphericity was significant (P=0.000), and a total of eight latest factors emerged as a result of PCA. Results showed that information and service exclusion (20.26%), socio-cultural and institutional barriers (14.8%), economic disempowerment (10.8%), legal and procedural asset dispossession (9.1%), work burden (8.5%), inclusion in production decision (7.12%), financial constraints (5.3%) and market access challenges were the critical factors impeding women contribution in rice production system. Study suggests that for sustainable rice production this is important to train the women, empower them and ensure their inclusion in decision-making. In addition, the women's access to advisory services should be ensured more proactively.