Agriculture in Nepal

Female domain

Published On: March 6, 2017 09:46 AM NPT By: Pramesh Pokharel


Pramesh Pokharel

Pramesh Pokharel

The contributor for Republica.
news@myrepublica.com

Feminization of agriculture is not a new phenomenon in Nepal. But in the past this vital role of women was not acknowledged
The word feminization might sound bold in our patriarchal set up. But feminization is only a process whereby women have control over certain activities. Feminization of agriculture denotes the process of increased or dominant role of women in agricultural activities. When it comes to Nepal, however, there are more negatives than positive sides to feminization of agriculture. 

In Nepal’s rural areas women are still discriminated, from their birth to their death. They suffer from malpractices such as female feticide, wife beating, child marriage, polygamy, sexual violence, trafficking and honor killings. Women are accused of being witches. Others are forced into kumari, jhuma and deuki slave systems.

Despite clear constitutional guarantee of the same, women are still not treated as equals in our societies, especially in rural areas, which are still home to more than 80 percent Nepalis. 

Yet, despite these challenges, women have greatly contributed to Nepali agriculture. Almost 70 percent of farm-related work here is carried out by women. They play a vital role in agricultural works such as seed selection and plantation, and harvesting. 

Feminization of agriculture is not a new phenomenon in Nepal. But in the past this vital role of women was not acknowledged. And yet, today, it is our women who have sustained Nepali agriculture. This is not just because NGOs have been successful in building their capacities and valuing their role. 

Exodus of able-bodied men is a reality in rural Nepal. More than 1,500 youths (mostly from Nepal’s villages) leave the country for foreign employment every day. Others migrate to major cities and towns for employment. According to an estimate, of 600,000 youths who enter labor market every year, more than two in three work away from their ancestral homes. Only 10 percent out of total migrants leaving the country are women. Thus at least half of its working-age population is out of Nepal, and 90 percent of these migrants are men.

Most villages are bereft of able-bodied men, leaving women, children and the elderly to fend for themselves. Even if you exclude young women who come to cities to educate their children and to live on remittance, the situation is as bleak. Three million Nepali laborers are concentrated in Malaysia and the Middle East. If you include those migrating to India for work, the number reaches seven million. So women who are left back in villages have to sustain agriculture. 

Rural households are run by women, children and the elderly are cared for by women and farms are managed by women. Besides this women are also involved in routine household chores. 

There are some reliefs for women in villages. They do not suffer at the hands of their drunken and jobless husbands because most of them are away. These days you don’t see men loiter around, play cards or just while away their time. Women are heads of families and take vital family decisions and manage resources. Some daring ones have started to take up plowing, the job traditionally reserved for men. Women have been able to break the boundaries set by the patriarchal society.

But this is no consolation. The added responsibilities have burdened women even more. They cannot obtain loan from banks easily to start small enterprises as the properties are not registered in their names. There is no one to comfort them when they feel lonely but plenty of predators looking to abuse them in the absence of their husbands.

There are other hurdles to their self-sufficiency. Traditional farming is not women-friendly and government policies favor men over women. New GM foods have greater negative impact on women’s health.  

Many more fertile lands in rural areas will be barren if these women also migrate to cities or go abroad. Crop production will decrease. Dependency on external products and food will increase, challenging food security and local cultures. 

There are multifarious impacts of migration and brain-drain on rural women. We need to recognize their role in sustaining our agriculture. Otherwise, these women will continue to languish at the margins of our society. Nor will the goal of inclusive development ever come to fruition. 

The author is a peasant activist  
 


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