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@article{205265,
        author = {Dr. Nirrmala Sathish and Mrs. N. Vimaladevi},
        title = {PARTICIPATION OF WOMEN IN AGRICULTURE AND ALLIED ACTIVITIES: A STUDY ON ROLES, CHALLENGES, AND EMPOWERMENT OPPORTUNITIES},
        journal = {International Journal of Innovative Research in Technology},
        year = {2026},
        volume = {13},
        number = {1},
        pages = {6382-6388},
        issn = {2349-6002},
        url = {https://ijirt.org/article?manuscript=205265},
        abstract = {Women have long been central to agricultural production and allied activities, yet their roles often remain invisible within mainstream agricultural discourse. This study examines the extent and nature of women’s participation in agriculture and allied sectors in Coimbatore district, with a focus on their contributions, challenges, and empowerment opportunities. A quantitative research design was employed, drawing data from a representative sample of 150 women farmers through structured questionnaires. Statistical tools, including Chi-square tests, ANOVA, and Friedman ranking, were applied to analyze participation levels, decision-making roles, challenges, and preferences for empowerment strategies.
The findings reveal that women are highly involved in crop cultivation and dairy farming, while their influence in decision-making—particularly regarding income use and market sales—remain limited. Structural challenges, such as lack of land ownership, limited access to credit, and workload imbalances, significantly constrain their potential. However, the study also highlights strong demand for empowerment initiatives such as training programs, resource accessibility, and women-centric cooperatives.
The study concludes that enhancing women’s roles in agriculture through targeted policies, capacity-building measures, and gender-sensitive institutional frameworks is essential for advancing both rural livelihoods and inclusive economic growth.},
        keywords = {Women in agriculture, Allied activities, Empowerment, Challenges, Participation},
        month = {June},
        }