Determinants of Female Work Participation in Agriculture: A Study in Western Uttar Pradesh

The paper has examined the determinants of female participation in agriculture based ona field study conducted in the agriculturally-progressive region of western Uttar Pradesh. The multi-stage random sampling design has been used for the selection of 240 sample households. The statistical analysis has revealed that the female participation in agriculture is positively and significantly related with age and status of females in the family, and the cropping intensity. The extent of women participation has bee found negatively but significantly related with size of family, number of working male members in the family and number of years in the school. Size of landholdings and level of income have shown a negative but insignificant influence on women participation in agriculture. Mechanization of agriculture as measured by tractors per hectare reduces the female participation in agriculture, whereas cropping intensity increases their participation in agriculture.