Paris, T. R. and P. Pingali. (1996). Competition and conflict in Asian agricultural resource management: Issues, Options, and Analytical Paradigms: IRRI Discussion Paper Series No. 11, pp. 237-245. Edited by P.L. Pingali and T.R. Paris. International Rice Research Institute, Los Banos, Laguna, Philippines.
With the advent of the Green Revolution, machinery use in rice production has increased across Asia, both for land preparation and for post harvest operations. The rapid spread of machines for these operations has led to a debate on their impact on rural poor and landless women. Debate centers on several propositions such as: a) poor and landless women have lost jobs and income earning opportunities; b) machines favor men more than women and traditional female tasks are taken over by men; c) at the same time proponents have argued for a reduction in drudgery. Despite this often emotional debate on the negative effects of engineering technologies on farm women and the need for labor enhancing technologies, there has been little research explicitly examining or reviewing the framework or conditions under which engineering technologies can help or hurt poor farm women.
Objectives of this paper are: a) to discuss the dilemmas in introducing engineering technologies to farm women; b) to present a framework for assessing their impact both positive and negative; and to c) identify the conditions under whichengineering technologies can help poor farm women.
Download and read the article here.
Asian and African Women Leaders in Agriculture 