Journal of Extension Education (Dec 2023)
Dynamics of Working Conditions among Women Agricultural Workers
Abstract
This paper examined the dynamics of wages, payment schedules, work availability, types of work, job satisfaction and problems faced by women agricultural workers in the rural areas of Puducherry, India. A mixed-method approach was employed and data from a random sample of 5,044 women agricultural workers across all 98 revenue villages in the rural areas of Union Territory of Puducherry were collected and analysed to provide a comprehensive understanding of the prevailing conditions and challenges. The findings indicated that almost half of the respondents earned the wages below 150 rupees per day, highlighting the prevalence of low wages. A majority of respondents faced lack of daily work availability. The study also explored the types of work performed by them, identified factors that contribute to people choosing to work in agriculture, such as the need to meet basic family needs, low family income, and issues including wage discrimination, low wages, hard work, lack of transport facilities and overworking hours.
