Gender (in)equity and the adoption of farm machinery: Opportunities and trade-offs in Bangladesh livestock systems

Abstract

Agricultural mechanization can improve wellbeing and livelihoods in agrifood systems, but its benefits may not be evenly shared between women and men. This is a concern given the increased interest in agricultural mechanization in development programs. In this study, we analyzed data from 373 livestock producers in Bangladesh to assess the associations between adopting mechanized fodder choppers and gendered time-allocation, participation in decision-making, and control over livestock income. Accounting for observed heterogeneity between adopters and non-adopters, we find that the use of mechanized fodder choppers was associated with husbands claiming more influence over the use of livestock income. Adoption was also correlated with women’s time savings in livestock production, which they used for additional resting. While the associations in this study should not be interpreted as causal relationships, we conclude that the gendered outcomes of the adoption of mechanized fodder choppers can be complex. Development programs promoting farm machinery may need to consider ways that allow women to capture benefits while employing safeguards to prevent a potential weakening of women’s agency in livestock production.