Livelihood Enhancement and Promoting Gender Equity through Agri-Horti Cropping System Model

A study was undertaken in a cluster comprising of two villages viz. Sankilo and Tentalpur under Nischintakoili block of Cuttack district of Odisha to analyze the livelihood enhancement and promoting empowerment of farm women through Livelihood Enhancement Model in Agri-horti cropping system model. The two cluster villages had huge potential of adoption of Agri-horti cropping system model and the social climate relatively better in gender sensitiveness. The implemented model played a pivotal role in income enhancement among the small and marginal women farmers by increasing the production potential of the crops and improving their socio-economic status. Under this model demonstrations of high yielding varieties of rice, pulse and commercial vegetables were conducted among the adopted farm women. In case of rice production average net return of Rs. 1,09,020/- and gross return of Rs. 1,22,410/- per ha with 55.40 per cent yield advantage and 136.84 Rs. increase in income was recorded. An increase in average gross return of Rs. 33,050/- and average net return of Rs. 29.687/- per annum with an increase in yield of 63.08 per cent was obtained in black gram (var. PU-31) cultivation. With the introduction of high yielding vegetable varieties, an average yield advantage of about 45.41-68.93 per cent and an incremental income of 155-203 per cent with an increase in average gross return of Rs. 72,500/year and average net return Rs. 43,500/annum were realized. The interventions have made significant impact in the cluster and beyond. The scientific cultivation of such crops has widely adopted among the farm women and enabled them in up-scaling their livelihoods thereby improving their socio-economic conditions, which aided in promoting empowerment of farm women of the region.