A Study on Current Status of Rural Women Empowerment in Amethi District of Uttar Pradesh

Abstract

The present study was carried out during the year 2022-2023, in Amethi district of Uttar Pradesh to know the present status of rural women in agro-based activities. It was observed that 60.00 percent of the rural women were in the middle age group ranging between 31-50 years, most of them were illiterate, about 38.75 percent rural women were related to other backward caste, 63.75 percent were living in nuclear family system, 55.00 percent were having mixed houses, most of them 43.75 percent were doing farming as main occupation, 68.75 percent rural women were having medium level of information seeking behaviour, 68.75 percent rural women were having no participation in any social organization, 48.75 percent were related to marginal farmers category, 37.50 percent were belong to income group of below Rs.50,000/annum. The majority of the rural women 61.25 percent were having medium level of participation in agro-based activities; these were higher 91.66 MPS in transplanting of rice, 85.00 MPS in post harvest activities of potato and 92.50 MPS in wheat. Majority of the rural women 78.75 percent were having medium level of knowledge about agro-based activities and these were higher in maturity symptoms of rice with 84.16 MPS, moisture percentage in grains at the time of storage of wheat with 77.08 MPS and appropriate method of storage of potato with 89.58 MPS. About 67.50 percent rural women were having medium level of decision making power and the higher decision making was in hiring labours with 89.58 MPS. Low wages was the main cause for low participation of rural women in agro-based activities, lack of formal education was major constraint in knowledge while male dominancy was the main constraint in decision making of rural women in agro-based activities