Title: Gender contribution to cultivation and use of underutilised crops: case of Moneragala district in Sri Lanka

Authors: S.H. Pushpa Malkanthi

Addresses: Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, Sabaragamuwa University of Sri Lanka, PO Box 02, Belihuloya, Sri Lanka

Abstract: This research was conducted to study the male and female farmers' contribution to cultivation and use of underutilised crops in Monergala district of Sri Lanka. Application of a quantitative research method is the distinguishing feature of this study. A field survey was conducted using a sample of 120 farmers with the help of pre-tested questionnaire to collect the data. Descriptive statistics and two sample t-tests were used to analyse the data. According to the results, male farmers are specially engaged in such agricultural practices as land preparation, protection of farmlands from wild animals and marketing of underutilised crops, while the female farmers are specially engaged in other important agricultural practices such as planting, weeding and food preparation at home. Nevertheless, both male and female farmers contribute alike to some agricultural practices. Although male farmers are significantly contributing to the underutilised crop cultivation, as a whole, female farmers' contribution is higher.

Keywords: agricultural practices; female farmers; gender contribution; male farmers; underutilised crops; cultivation; women; Sri Lanka; agriculture; land preparation; farmland protection; crop marketing; planting; weeding; food preparation.

DOI: 10.1504/IJARGE.2016.074680

International Journal of Agricultural Resources, Governance and Ecology, 2016 Vol.12 No.1, pp.77 - 92

Received: 27 Mar 2015
Accepted: 10 Nov 2015
Published online: 12 Feb 2016 *

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