Rural employment perspectives in semi-arid tropics of India: A gender and diversity analysis using longitudinal panel data

The concept of work and employment, especially for women, is complex in nature. In rural India, livelihood diversification has increased resulting in a shift from agriculture to non-agriculture activities. Gender is one of the most common determinants of inequity even in the employment sector, intersecting with other socio-economic factors accounting for differences in communities. This study addresses the dynamics of change with reference to rural employment with gender and diversity perspective in the semi-arid tropics (SAT) of India. The insights are based on the analysis of the micro-level longitudinal panel data collected from 1975–77 and 2009–2014 in six villages of rural India. Corroborating with the literature, the analysis from SAT region reveals that women continue to engage in multiple roles at home and farm, yet have limited access to and control over assets. Even though the women participation rates in rural employment increased over time, the economic output has been low. Rural women workers are concentrated in agriculture to a much larger extent than men. The engagement of women in non-farm employment activities was low during the period 1975–77, it has increased tremendously during 2009–2014, reducing the gap between men and women in terms of time use. Similar patterns are emerging from a gender-differentiated analysis based on social groups and education. Based on the panel regression analysis, education of the female was the main determinant influencing their participation in non-farm employment. Ultimately, the paper recommends the need for gender transformative development strategies that not only strengthen the role of women in all aspects of agriculture and rural employment but also enhances their agency leading to their empowerment.