Agroforestry Practices in Midhills of Nepal from Gender Perspective

Abstract

Agroforestry practice is becoming compassionate option for rural communities to fulfil basic needs and generate income for households’ wellbeing. Gender consideration seems worthful to obtain optimum benefits from agroforestry practices in the scarcity of male labour in the locality. This paper has attempted to analyse tendency of gendered participation in agroforestry practice and their existence in gaining benefits. We selected three mid-hills districts of Nepal where people are adopting both traditional (fulfilling subsistence needs) and improved (commercial purpose along with fulfilling subsistence needs) practices. We organized focused group discussions (n = 9), randomly sampled (n = 420) households for interview from each practice (n = 210) to analyse gendered wise participation in farm establishment, management intervention, capacity building and access to information, known as major agroforestry promoting activities. Key informant interview (n = 18), focused group discussions (n = 9), randomly sampled (n = 420) households for interview from each practice (n = 210) was organized to analyse gendered wise participation in farm establishment, management intervention, capacity building and access to information, known as major agroforestry promoting activities. Women participation seemed to be higher in establishment activities than male in traditional practices whereas males were front in applying chemical fertilizer and pesticides and irrigation in improved practices. While changing in practices from traditional to improved, male participation during land tillage found to be significant. Male domination was observed in making decisions regarding species selection in traditional practices whereas women domination was observed in improved practices. Men’s involvement in species selection and plantation was found significant with changing in practices from traditional to improved. Men were ahead in capacity building and skill development activities in traditional practices but women were more active in improved practices. Women participation in training and meetings was found significant between traditional and improved practice. Neighbours were major source of information in traditional whereas extension workers/programmes were major bases to learn new ideas and techniques to improved practitioner. Technologies and learning environment are less friendly to women so they have limited access to adopt new technologies. Exploration of gendered friendly programme and technologies is recommended to promote improved practices and maximize benefits from agroforestry.