Carving out a gender landscape in Bihar: Agrarian change and women’s participation in farm-sector

Introduction: Over the past 15 years, Bihar has experienced significant agricultural transformation, driven by the implementation of three consecutive Krishi Road Maps (KRMs) since 2008. These initiatives, beginning with a focus on inclusive farming, have evolved to emphasise sustainable development with the active participation of women in agriculture. The first two phases, KRM-I and II (2008-2017), successfully diversified farming practices, enhancing productivity and income for farmers. The current phase, KRM-III (2017-2023), has expanded this agenda to include organic farming by creating a “Jaivik Corridor” and adopting climate-friendly farming systems. Women play a crucial role in this agrarian economy, reflecting a broader “feminisation of labour” in the state. This study explores women’s participation in agriculture from a gender perspective, examining gender constructs, land ownership, and the status of female-headed households.

Aims and Objectives:

• To carve out a ‘gender landscape’ for Bihar’s countryside within the evolving agricultural environment and provide research-based recommendations for policymaking regarding women in Bihar and other migration-prone states.
• Explore the sustainability aspect in development practices and assess the adoption of climate-smart farming and climate-change-resistant practices. Investigate the diverse roles of women in the farm sector and associated activities.
• Study the conceptual constructs of feminisation of labour, female-headed households, and changes in gender roles within the expanded production regime.
• Examine gender inequality in land ownership patterns. Enrich the body of literature on gender studies, specifically in the context of Bihar.
• Provide a foundation for similar studies in other states with high migration rates.

Methodology:

The study will employ the Social Anthropological Method, combining both quantitative and qualitative data collection techniques. Data will be gathered through formal questionnaire-based surveys, interviews (both formal and informal), focused group discussions, and case studies. The study will rely on both primary data collected from fieldwork across three selected villages in north Bihar and secondary data from official sources, literature, and documents.