Gender dynamics in small-scale aquaculture-based livelihoods of Tripura, India

Globally, women play key roles in the pre-harvest and post-harvest activities of aquaculture, however their significant contributions often remain invisible due to a lack of gender-disaggregated data. This study examines gender dynamics and equity gaps in small-scale aquaculture-based livelihoods in Tripura, India, with a 120 sample of male and female fish farmers (60 each). The results showed men's dominance in family headship, land & house ownerships and decision-making. While men engaged in diverse income-generating activities, women faced a dual burden of household duties and fish farming, leading to longer working hours and fewer opportunities for skill development. The mean values exhibit existence of gender gap among men & women in social participation (1.33 & 2.15), extent of using information sources (4.62 & 2.95), extension participation (2.28 & 1.83), gender work hours (11 & 13.50), perceived drudgery (39 & 32.73), technology adoption (10.66 & 8.68), gender empowerment (40.90 & 31.20), access to resources and services (15.68 & 14), participation (4.25 & 2.30), decision making (10 & 6.58) and capability (10.96 & 8.76). Promote joint ownership of assets, schedule extension activities at gender sensitive time & place when/where both genders participate actively, recruit more female extension agents, gender-friendly pond management practices to reduce women's drudgery, equitable access to credit & production resources and tailored skill development to improve technology adoption can bridge the gender gaps, enhance productivity and foster resilient small-scale aquaculture-based livelihoods in Tripura.