Shifting gender relations in agriculture and irrigation in the Nepal Tarai-Madhesh

This report explores how women perceive participation and empowerment vis-a-vis access to water and other agricultural resources in the Tarai/Madhesh of Nepal. The report argues that gendered vulnerability is indeed intricately connected with other axes of difference, such as caste and economic stat...

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Main Authors: Karn, Sujeet, Sugden, Fraser, Sah, K.K., Maharjan, J., Shah, T.N., Clement, Floriane
Format: Informe técnico
Language:Inglés
Published: International Water Management Institute 2020
Subjects:
Online Access:https://hdl.handle.net/10568/110534
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author Karn, Sujeet
Sugden, Fraser
Sah, K.K.
Maharjan, J.
Shah, T.N.
Clement, Floriane
author_browse Clement, Floriane
Karn, Sujeet
Maharjan, J.
Sah, K.K.
Shah, T.N.
Sugden, Fraser
author_facet Karn, Sujeet
Sugden, Fraser
Sah, K.K.
Maharjan, J.
Shah, T.N.
Clement, Floriane
author_sort Karn, Sujeet
collection Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace)
description This report explores how women perceive participation and empowerment vis-a-vis access to water and other agricultural resources in the Tarai/Madhesh of Nepal. The report argues that gendered vulnerability is indeed intricately connected with other axes of difference, such as caste and economic status, despite women’s critical role in agricultural production and their active engagement in access to water and irrigation in agriculture. Overall, women’s well-being seems to have decreased as a consequence of male out-migration. However, there are women who have also become empowered in new ways, taking up enterprise opportunities. The authors point out that at the level of policy and external development interventions, a dominating narrative on women’s limited participation in agriculture being a result of ‘social norms’ exists. Public irrigation agencies have used this myth to absolve themselves of the responsibility for ensuring gender equality in program implementation. The report concludes that strengthening equitable irrigation user groups alongside capacity building for farmers and program implementers are critical measures for improving women’s access to irrigation and overall well-being. Women should be ensured meaningful participation, including leadership roles. Finally, this report recommends linking irrigation user groups to other income-generation schemes, and facilitating access to better credit, finance and agricultural inputs.
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spelling CGSpace1105342025-11-07T08:22:50Z Shifting gender relations in agriculture and irrigation in the Nepal Tarai-Madhesh Karn, Sujeet Sugden, Fraser Sah, K.K. Maharjan, J. Shah, T.N. Clement, Floriane gender relations agricultural sector women’s participation women’s empowerment gender equality vulnerability groundwater irrigation communities migration role of women farmers land ownership land tenure water availability irrigation canals tube wells climate change water user associations capacity building social change caste systems households livelihoods villages constraints labour poverty economic resources microfinance remittances enterprises institutions decision making state intervention This report explores how women perceive participation and empowerment vis-a-vis access to water and other agricultural resources in the Tarai/Madhesh of Nepal. The report argues that gendered vulnerability is indeed intricately connected with other axes of difference, such as caste and economic status, despite women’s critical role in agricultural production and their active engagement in access to water and irrigation in agriculture. Overall, women’s well-being seems to have decreased as a consequence of male out-migration. However, there are women who have also become empowered in new ways, taking up enterprise opportunities. The authors point out that at the level of policy and external development interventions, a dominating narrative on women’s limited participation in agriculture being a result of ‘social norms’ exists. Public irrigation agencies have used this myth to absolve themselves of the responsibility for ensuring gender equality in program implementation. The report concludes that strengthening equitable irrigation user groups alongside capacity building for farmers and program implementers are critical measures for improving women’s access to irrigation and overall well-being. Women should be ensured meaningful participation, including leadership roles. Finally, this report recommends linking irrigation user groups to other income-generation schemes, and facilitating access to better credit, finance and agricultural inputs. 2020 2020-12-16T09:11:15Z 2020-12-16T09:11:15Z Report https://hdl.handle.net/10568/110534 en Open Access application/pdf International Water Management Institute Karn, Sujeet; Sugden, Fraser; Sah, K. K.; Maharjan, J.; Shah, T. N.; Clement, F. 2020. Shifting gender relations in agriculture and irrigation in the Nepal Tarai-Madhesh. Colombo, Sri Lanka: International Water Management Institute (IWMI). CGIAR Research Program on Water, Land and Ecosystems (WLE). 34p. (WLE Research for Development (R4D) Learning Series 10) [doi: https://doi.org/10.5337/2020.211]
spellingShingle gender relations
agricultural sector
women’s participation
women’s empowerment
gender equality
vulnerability
groundwater irrigation
communities
migration
role of women
farmers
land ownership
land tenure
water availability
irrigation canals
tube wells
climate change
water user associations
capacity building
social change
caste systems
households
livelihoods
villages
constraints
labour
poverty
economic resources
microfinance
remittances
enterprises
institutions
decision making
state intervention
Karn, Sujeet
Sugden, Fraser
Sah, K.K.
Maharjan, J.
Shah, T.N.
Clement, Floriane
Shifting gender relations in agriculture and irrigation in the Nepal Tarai-Madhesh
title Shifting gender relations in agriculture and irrigation in the Nepal Tarai-Madhesh
title_full Shifting gender relations in agriculture and irrigation in the Nepal Tarai-Madhesh
title_fullStr Shifting gender relations in agriculture and irrigation in the Nepal Tarai-Madhesh
title_full_unstemmed Shifting gender relations in agriculture and irrigation in the Nepal Tarai-Madhesh
title_short Shifting gender relations in agriculture and irrigation in the Nepal Tarai-Madhesh
title_sort shifting gender relations in agriculture and irrigation in the nepal tarai madhesh
topic gender relations
agricultural sector
women’s participation
women’s empowerment
gender equality
vulnerability
groundwater irrigation
communities
migration
role of women
farmers
land ownership
land tenure
water availability
irrigation canals
tube wells
climate change
water user associations
capacity building
social change
caste systems
households
livelihoods
villages
constraints
labour
poverty
economic resources
microfinance
remittances
enterprises
institutions
decision making
state intervention
url https://hdl.handle.net/10568/110534
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AT maharjanj shiftinggenderrelationsinagricultureandirrigationinthenepaltaraimadhesh
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