Health Condition of Pulse Cultivating Agricultural Women

• Author: D.Amutha M.A.M.Phil
• Position: Asst.Professor of Economics - St.Mary's College - TUTICORIN

Introduction

Agriculture is the mainstay of Indian economy. Agriculture and agriculture allied sectors contribute nearly 22 % of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of India, while about 65 -70 % of population depends on agriculture for livelihood. Women, constituting around half of the population play a distinct role in the development of the nation. Women are the backbone of agricultural workforce but worldwide her hard work has mostly been unpaid. She does the most tedious and back-breaking tasks in agriculture, animal husbandry and homes. Though women in urban areas have excelled in many fields, the rural women are denied of even the basic amenities like health and education.

According to the International Labour Organization (ILO), the agricultural sector is one of the most hazardous to health worldwide. Agricultural work possesses several characteristics that are risky for health: exposure to the weather, close contact with animals and plants, extensive use of chemical and biological products, difficult working postures and lengthy hours, and use of hazardous agricultural tools and machinery. This brief outlines the occupational health hazards of agriculture, presents a case study on the rural pulse cultivating women of Oottapidaram block of Tuticorin district.

Objectives of the present study

The present study has been carried out with the following objectives.

1. To study the profile of the rural pulse cultivating women of Oottapidaram block of Tuticorin district.

2. To analyze the farming experience and number of hours devoted for agricultural activities

3. To evaluate the occupational health hazards of agriculture

4. To know the reasons for their negligence to health care.

5. To offer the suggestions provided by the respondents to improve their health condition.

   Methodology

   The present study is empirical. Field survey method and personal interview technique were adopted for collecting primary data. The present study area was Malaipatti and Maniyachi villages of Oottapidaram block of Tuticorin district. A typical black cotton soil area of 1000 Ha and 1300 Ha has been selected in Malaipatti and Maniyachi villages of Oottapidaram dry land block by cultivating pulses crop purely as rain fed crop. Simple random sampling method was adopted for selecting 77 sample respondents. The secondary data is collected mainly through published articles, books, research studies, various documents and the Internet. The sampling is random. The data relates to the month of January 2011. For analyzing the data statistical tools such as percentages, chi-square tests, average, Cramer’s V, standard deviation, variance and probability analysis technique were used.

   Analysis and interpretation

   According to 2001 census, total population of Malaipatti and Maniyachi villages of Oottapidaram block are 943 and 1287. Total number of women pulse cultivating SC farmers in the Malaipatti and Maniyachi villages of Oottapidaram block of Tuticorin district is 563. Out of which 563 women farmers 77 have been selected for this study.

   Table No: 1 Age wise classification of the respondents

   Age

   Malaipatti

   Maniyachi

   Total

   20-40 years

   14(43.7)

   33(73.3)

   47(61.0)

   40-60 years

   18(56.3)

   12(26.7)

   30(39.0)

   Total

   32(100)

   45(100)

   77(100)

   Source: Primary data

   From the table, it is revealed that the percentage of 20-40 years women pulse cultivating SC respondents is more i.e., 61%. As per the survey young and middle age group’s involvements is higher than that of old aged groups in the study area. The result of chi-square analysis (χ2=5.69, P=0.0171, df=1, Cramer’s V=0.2989), revealed that there is no significant relationship between age and pulse cultivating women farmers in the Malaipatti and Maniyachi villages of Oottapidaram block of Tuticorin district.

   Table No: 2 Educational Qualification of the respondents

   Qualification

   Malaipatti

   
   

   Maniyachi

   Total

   Illiterate

   12(37.5)

   7(15.6)

   19(24.7)

   Primary

   17(53.1)

   22(48.9)

   39(50.6)

   Secondary

   3(9.4)

   16(35.5)

   19(24.7)

   Total

   32(100)

   45(100)

   77(100)

   Source: Primary data

   From the above table it is clear that the majority of the respondents i.e., 51 percentage completed the primary education. The illiterates were 25%. The chi-square analysis result (χ2=8.91, P=0.0116, df=2, Cramer’s V=0.3402), shows no significant relationship of education and pulse cultivating women farmers in Tuticorin District of Tamilnadu at 5% level.

   Table No: 3 Number of respondents and their family size

   Size

   Malaipatti

   
   

   Maniyachi

   Total

   Below

   4

   27(84.4)

   43(95.6)

   70(90.9)

   Above

   4

   5(15.6)

   2(4.4)

   7(9.1)

   Total

   32(100)

   45(100)

   77(100)

   Source: Primary data

   The majority of the respondents i.e., 91 percentage of families are having medium size ranging from 3-4 members. The chi-square test value (χ2=1.64, P=0.2003, df=1, Cramer’s V=0.1917), assured that there are no marked significant differences in size of the family and pulse cultivating women farmers in the study area.

   Table No: 4 Farming Experience

   Farming

   Experience

   
   

   Malaipatti

   
   

   Maniyachi

   Total

   Less

   than 10 years

   28(87.5)

   28(62.2)

   56(72.7)

   More

   than 10 years

   4(12.5)

   17(37.8)

   21(27.3)

   Total

   32(100)

   45(100)

   77(100)

   Source: Primary data

   Among the respondents, 73% of women farmers had at least 10 years of farming experience and 27% of the sample farmers have cultivated the pulses for more than 10 years. The chi-square analysis result (χ2=4.82, P=0.0281), shows no significant relationship of farming experience and pulse cultivators in Tuticorin District of Tamilnadu at 5% level.

   Table No: 5 Number of hours devoted for agricultural activities

   Number

   of hours

   
   
   

   
   

   Malaipatti

   
   

   Maniyachi

   Total

   Less

   than10

   hrs

   8(25.0)

   26(57.8)

   34(44.2)

   More

   than 10 hrs

   24(75.0)

   19(42.2)

   43(55.8)

   Total

   32(100)

   45(100)

   77(100)

   Source: Primary data

   It is clear from the above table that 44 per cent of women farm workers are devoting less than10 hours per day for agriculture, whereas 56 per cent of women are devoting more than 10 hours per day respectively and the difference was statistically not significant (χ2=6.87, P=0.0088, df=1, Cramer’s V=0.3253).

   Health

   Hazards

   Malaipatti

   
   

   Maniyachi

   Total

   Weather,

   climate

   18(56.2)

   4(8.9)

   22(28.6)

   Toxic

   effect of the pesticides

   7(21.9)

   12(26.7)

   19(24.7)

   Sharp

   tools, farm equipment & injurious

   bites & stings

   4(12.5)

   16(35.5)

   20(25.9)

   Physical

   labor, carrying loads

   3(9.4)

   13(28.9)

   16(20.8)

   Total

   32(100)

   45(100)

   77(100)

   Source: Primary data

   From the table, 29% women farm workers have experienced health hazards like dehydration, heat cramps, heat exhaustion and heat stroke. 26% respondents were of the view that using powered machinery are most at risk from fatal accidents and basic hazards like sharp tools and...