Identifying and prioritizing the critical gender gap indicators using the SHEET module

Women farmers have momentous function in carrying forward agriculture. They have abundant roles and responsibilities in the sector and can play instrumental in transforming the face of agriculture. However, at this backdrop, their quantum efficiency is often hindered by several societal rules and taboos which creates a perceptible gender gap and creates developmental blocks for the sector in specific and society in general aspect. In this study, some critical gender gaps in five fundamental pillars to holistic development viz, Social, Health, Economic, Environmental and Technological (SHEET) facets have been identified and prioritized. The prioritized gender gap in each respective segment were wage rate issue, BMI (Body Mass Index) related issue, loan availability, access and control over land and water, and knowledge level in carrying out primary and secondary agricultural practices. The correlation studies specified the consequence of substantial aspects such as gender sensitization, awareness and access to nutri-food, climate resilient farming practices, credit access and skillupgradation in narrowing the gender gap in respective aspects viz., Social, Health, Environmental, Economic and Technological, respectively. This approach of prioritizing the gender gaps could play an influential role in designing gendersensitive developmental approaches and programmes for holistic and sustainable societal development.