Feminization of Agriculture in the Eastern Hills of Nepal: A study of Women in Cardamom and Ginger Farming

Abstract

There have been very few studies in the process of feminization of agriculture in Nepal. The overall purpose of this study was to analyze the changing role of women in high-value agriculture in the postconflict context of Nepal. In this study, we applied qualitative research tools: focus group discussion, key informant interview, on-site observation, and descriptive and interpretative analysis. The study found that after the peace agreement of 2006, the engagement of women in high-value agriculture such as large cardamom and ginger increased rapidly and contributed to the empowerment of women. The study reveals that rural women’s engagement in “women cooperatives” provided them social, economic, and political recognition and decision-making space. However, they are facing additional challenges and risks related to marketing, crop protection, and export to international markets. Though recent policy changes are favorable to address risks and challenges, their effective implementation is yet to be fully realized. This article concludes that the changing political context in Nepal has provided space for women to engage in high-value agriculture. However, women’s engagement is limited to production and primary processing, while further along the value chain, where more profits are made with less risk, women tend to acquire less benefits. The government needs special policy and regulatory provisions and institutional arrangements to address (a) the problem of international export market and (b) the problem of crop protection measures.