Gender perspective of conservation agriculture

Conservation agriculture (CA) technologies are the future of sustainable agriculture. Many research, and developmental organizations including farmers group are engaged in promoting CA technology for more than a decade. Gender has an important role in adoption and dissemination of CA technologies that include use of zero tillage, paddy transplanter, crop diversification and other interventions. Present study has been conducted in Madhubani district of Bihar state to analyse gender segregated key benefits, advantages, disadvantages, issues and the key decision processes and criteria for CA technology adoption. Data were collected through focus group discussions involving male and female farmers. Important advantages of CA technologies expressed by the farmers group were reduction of labour, time saving, better yield, cost saving, low tillage cost and reduction in drudgery. The key problems and issues affecting the performance of CA technologies included the weed control, poor germination, and limited skills of machine operators. Labour saving, cost saving, enhanced productivity, time-saving, less irrigation requirement, and higher yield were among the most important factors that led to adoption of zero tillage in rice-wheat system. Preparation of mat nursery and trained operators for paddy transplanter were major criteria for adoption of mechanical paddy transplanter. Farmers were sceptical about the risk associated with CA technologies that included poor seed germination and weed infestation.