Background: Agriculture is the process of producing food, feed, fiber and many other desired products by the cultivation of certain plants. The practice of agriculture is also known as &ldquo;farming&rdquo;. Agricultural technology refers to technology for the production of machines used on a farm to help with farming. Agricultural machineries have been designed for practically every stage of the agricultural process. They include machines for tilling the soil, planting seeds, irrigating the land, cultivating crops, protecting them from pests and weeds, harvesting, threshing grain, livestock feeding and sorting and packaging the products. Technology has played a big role in developing the agricultural industry. And women play major role in farming activities, which constitute nearly 43% of the world&rsquo;s agricultural labor force, which rises up to 70% in some countries. But they do not have adequate awareness and access to improved technologies to reduce their drudgery and improve productivity, unlike men. Hence the present study has been conducted to make a positive impact by empowering them and bring awareness. 
 
Methods: In this research study sample were selected on the basis of&nbsp; front line demonstration method to introduce&nbsp; the set of 7 drudgery reducing tools i.e. Paddy thresher, Twin wheel hoe, Serrated sickle, Vegetable collection bag, milking stand cum stool, stalk puller, Rack, were&nbsp; given to the farm women for exposure .These implements were given to 5 self help group of 50 farm women and data were collected from them regarding the awareness about the technologies before and after the front line Demonstration programmes.&nbsp; 
 
Result: Adoption levels were assessed after completion of a crop season. It was found that partial awareness was there about the improved equipment before training and awareness was in the random selected group after the training programs. About 80 per cent of the farm women have adopted the given technologies. This study can helpful for promotion of technology in gender perspective towards the challenges of farm women would help in reducing drudgery and occupational health problems of women workers in agriculture.&nbsp;

Awareness about Drudgery Reducing Technologies for Farm Women

<div style="text-align: justify;">This study has focused on the functioning of 10 SHG&rsquo;s located in Venkatahalli and Heggadehalli villages of Bangalore rural district comprising of 200 farm women mainly belonging to marginal and landless category with age group of 18-35 years. The women members of SHG&rsquo;s were found to save a portion of their meager income and pool that money for lending among them at an interest decided by the group. A close look at the pattern of lending revealed that large part of the credit was used for improving the sustainability of their agriculture and economic status as the loans were availed for crop cultivation, purchase of milch animals and sericulture activities. Majority of the rural families were non-vegetarians by habit; animal based foods were consumed twice a week by 49 per cent of the families. It was observed that majority of the rural families consumed 3 meals per day and only 18 per cent of the rural families consumed 2 meals per day. The diet of the rural families was monotonous, lacking variety and they care more for bulk rather than quality of the diet. Nutrient intake of rural farm women was compared with Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA). The intake of all nutrients viz. energy, protein, fat, iron, thiamine, riboflavin, niacin and &acirc;-carotene were low except for calcium. The per cent adequacy of nutrients was inadequate.&nbsp;</div>

Impact of socio-economic status on food consumption pattern of rural farm women

<div style="text-align: justify;">Empowerment of women is fundamental for the progress of the country. Women play an important role in the socio-economic development of the country and in India they play a dual role. Women of the present day has extended her foot in every sphere and excelled through the same. They have broken the boundaries restricted to the house-hold work and the prejudice that women are homemaker and that they cannot compete with men. Women have increased their participation in economic activities especially in dairy farming activity as a as manager, decision makers and skilled workers. Therefore the study was planned to assess the decision making ability of the women entrepreneurs involved in dairy farming. This study was conducted in Mathura district of Uttar Pradesh and a total of 120 women respondents were selected for study. Decision making ability of the respondents in dairy enterprise was studied under six subheads feeding, viz., breeding and management, health care, marketing and processing and miscellaneous activities. The response was collected by using a pretested structured interview schedule. The result shows that majority of respondents had decision making ability in feeding practices i.e., 68.18 per cent, 52.71 involved in breeding practices, 60.08 per cent involve in management practices, 57.92 per cent involved in health care, 61.46 per cent involved in marketing practices, 42.33 per cent involved in miscellaneous practices as insurance of dairy animals, advantage of dairy schemes etc. Though much of work of dairy farming is carried out by women but extension efforts and capacity building programmes are not generally designed for greater involvement of women and extending benefits to them. Therefore training module for scientific dairy farming can be formulated especially for women to improve their efficiency.</div>

<div style="text-align:justify">Decision Making Ability of Women Entrepreneurs Involved in&nbsp;Dairy Farming &nbsp;&nbsp;</div>

Background: Women play a critical role in both household management and agricultural production in rural Bangladesh. In Dumuria Upazila, Khulna district, it is well known that women dairy farmers contribute significantly to household income and food security. However, they face socio-economic and gender-based barriers that affect their access to resources, decision-making power and adoption of modern technologies. This study explores gender roles, access to credit, ownership perception and the adoption of climate-smart agricultural practices among women dairy farmers, who spend their time mostly on the farming. 
&nbsp; 
Methods: A qualitative interviewfor gender analysis was conducted among 133 women dairy farmers selected from a broader population of 3,050 women aged 20 to 89 years in Dumuria Upazila of Khulna district. The family income of those farmers comes mostly from dairy farming. Data were collected through 12 Key Informant Interviews (KIIs) and 3 Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) on demographics, household size, educational background, farming experience, access to credit, financial and decision-making involvement, asset perception and adoption of climate-smart technologies. The responses were analyzed to understand the gender dynamics and socio-economic conditions affecting the livelihood of those women. 
&nbsp; 
Result: The higher number of the respondents (44 farmers, 33%) were aged between 30-49. Women managed both household and farming responsibilities, with family sizes ranged from 2 to 10 members and dairy farming experience ranging from new entrants to over 30 years. Educational attainment varied. Only 35 (26.31%) respondents had access to credit. Nevertheless, women showed increasing involvement in financial decisions and milk distribution. Although most assets were officially registered in their husbands&rsquo; names, 131 (98.50%) women perceived the assets as their own. Joint decision-making in income management was common, though in households with elders or in-laws decisions were largely elder-driven.Regarding climate-smart technologies, only 14 (10.5%) respondents acknowledged familiarity. Nine (6.77%) used biogas plants and two used biogas combined with vermi-composting. Other mentioned to include rubber mats, water pumps and fans-suggesting unintentional use of such technologies. However, 64 (48%) respondents were unaware, 53 (39.85%) marked &ldquo;N/A,&rdquo; and one responded negatively, highlighting a major awareness gap in climate-smart farming practices.It was concluded from the findings that while women in dairy farming are increasingly participating in financial and household decision-making, their formal financial empowerment, such as buying assets in their names or opening fixed deposit in bank and access to climate-smart technologies remain limited, with a significant awareness gap in sustainable farming practices underscoring the need for targeted education and support interventions. 
&nbsp;

Empowering Women in Dairy Farming: Gender Roles, Challenges and Climate Smart Practices in Southern Bangladesh

Background: Semi-arid regions (SARs) of India are characterized by limited rainfall and often prone to droughts. These regions typically receive moderate to low levels of precipitation, making agriculture and water availability significantly challenging. In India, 55% of population is engaged in agriculture and its allied activities. Despite making a significant contribution to livelihoods, the sector continues to face challenges as soil degradation and resource depletion have reduced crop and livestock outputs. To mitigate the effects of land degradation and conserve rainwater, government has taken significant measures to make natural resource conservation a priority throughout the country. To conserve the natural resources, women are always playing an important role as they are always involved in agricultural activities.&nbsp; 
 
Methods: The study was undertaken to investigate the role of women in Soil and Water Conservation (SWC) in 3 SARs of India. The purposive sampling was done as watershed beneficiaries were selected as sample respondents. 
 
Result: The results revealed that majority of women (55%) had a medium level of technology adoption. Multiple regression analysis revealed that women&rsquo;s age, education, farming experience, risk bearing, social participation and cost-effectiveness were influencing the adoption of SWC technologies in watersheds. The correlation analysis reflected that out of sixteen factors, eleven factors namely age, education, farming experience, land holding, risk bearing, social participation, agro advisory and weather advisory, skill development, ease of use and cost effectiveness significantly affected the adoption of SWC technologies.

Farm Women Participation in Natural Resource Conservation: Technology Adoption Study in Semi-Arid Regions of India

Background: Modern self-propelled devices consider human factors such as space constraints, control placement, line of sight, comfort and ease of operation. These factors are linked to the operator&rsquo;s anthropometric and biomechanical parameters. Effective human-machine interface design can enhance productivity, comfort and safety. 
&nbsp; 
Methods: An anthropometric survey was conducted among 450 female agricultural workers across three zones of Kerala. The dimensions and clearances of the operator workplace for a selected transplanter were measured based on the seat index and reference points. The data were compared with the anthropometric dimensions to assess the suitability of the transplanters for women operators. 
&nbsp; 
Result: Based on the anthropometric data and spatial requirements, seat designs were proposed for Yanji and Redlands transplanters. Recommendations for the operator&rsquo;s seat include a 39 cm backrest height, 38 cm bottom width, 18 cm open area, 40 &plusmn; 3.4 cm length, 43 cm top width, 10 cm seat cushion height and 8 cm backrest cushion height. A 35 cm diameter circular seat is recommended for the helper. 
&nbsp;

Workplace Design of Selected Rice Transplanters for Farm-women Operators

The study was conducted at 6 tehsils (Newai, Tonk, Uniara, Todarai singh, Deoli and Malpura) of Tonk district of Rajasthan. One thousand and two hundred chicks of six weeks age were purchased from Maharana Pratap University, Udaipur, Rajasthan. Two groups of ten farmers each were sekected from each tehsil. 10 chicks were provided to each farmer which was broiler and layer mixed. The average increased weight of broiler was 3.66&plusmn;19.34 kg under Akodia village group and 3.94&plusmn;19.34 kg was under Talibpura village group. Akodia village group was slowly gaining weight compare than Talibpura village group because they were providing vermin waste which contained more amounts of proteins. The findings of Harnoda village group in I, II, II, IV, V and VI month was found to be 480&plusmn;22g, 480&plusmn;14g, 640&plusmn;09g, 710&plusmn;22g, 720&plusmn;20g and 730&plusmn;21g fed crop waste to the poultry chicks and other essential contents of diet were similar with other groups. In case of meat it was slowly growing compare than Fuleta village group because Fuleta village group was providing Fish waste which contained more amounts of vitamins and minerals. Harnoda village group reported the number of egg was 06&plusmn;01, 07&plusmn;02, 09&plusmn;01, 10&plusmn;02, 09&plusmn;01 and 09&plusmn;02 respectively in six months with an average of 8.33&plusmn;02. The performance of Harnoda village group was better than Akodia and Fuleta village group but poor in comparison with Talibpura, Panwar and Barbas village group because of difference in feeding, locally available sources of feed and water quality. Talibpura village group reported that the number of egg was 08&plusmn;02, 10&plusmn;02, 11&plusmn;01, 11&plusmn;02, 10&plusmn;02, 11&plusmn;02 and 11&plusmn;03 respectively in six months with an average of 10&plusmn;02. It was best performance of this study due to improved feeding, water quality and managmental factors. Environmental factors may affect the production of broiler and layers. 
&nbsp;

Utilisation of agricultural wastes in participatory poultry farming with&nbsp;women under climatic conditions of Tonk district of Rajasthan&nbsp;

<div style="text-align:justify">Modern intensive monocropping system is becoming unproductive, pest ridden, loss incurring, and resource depleting and hence turning out to be untenable. Lack of discrimination in input use by farm managers and overall poor management are accelerating degradation and desertification processes, and loss of biodiversity particularly add in endangered regions. &nbsp;While, properly designed diverse and strategically located tree/seasonal crop based land use systems can contribute to ecologic services by mitigation land degradation, climate change and desertification, while conserving natural resources and biodiversity. Besides providing, diverse goods and services, on-farm diversity can be considered as an adoptive strategy in areas climatically and biologically vulnerable. Being a potential C sink, tree based land use systems can also mitigate negative impacts of CO2 emission. As green belt/bank these have an important role in maintaining air, water and soil quality in mining and industrial areas. The so-called cellulosic feedstocks can be grown on marginal land, enhance soil fertility by promoting the growth of various soil organisms, and provide a climate- friendly source of energy. There are plenty of underexploited but potential plant species which can find niche in the existing agroecosystems with substantial addition to total production while contributing sufficiently to ecological services. These needs to be identified and useful models are developed for specific situations.</div>

On-farm crop diversity for sustainability and resilience in farming - A review

<div style="text-align:justify">Background: Perception is the way something is regarded/understood. It is mainly created by two factors; one is physiological and another is psychological characteristics of the human being. Thus, perception is not only physiological process that is what one sees with the eyes it is a much more complex process involving psychological process too, by which any person selectively assimilates and gives meaning to the stimuli in the environment. It is subjective process, thatis why different people perceive the same stimuli in different manner. The current study aimed to study the factors affecting perception of farm families towards farming as an occupation. 
Methods: The present study was conducted to ascertain the factors affecting perception of farm families towards farming as an occupation. The results are based on the perspective of different researchers.&nbsp; 
Result: There were six major factorsidentified namely economic, socio-cultural, physical, personal, psychological and push and pull factors affecting perception. The economic factors comprised of variables like income, cost of agricultural production and vicious cycle of debt and loan in farming and socio-cultural factors had variables like professional and social status of farming along with family influence affecting children occupational choice. Personal factors consisted of personal interest and satisfaction of farmers derived from farming while physical factors included hard work and lack of resources along with hazardous working conditions in farming. Stress prevalentamong farmers and satisfaction of farmers either with farming income or its status and risk associated with farming as a profession were studied under psychological factors. Push and pull factors comprised the reasons of farm families attracting towards urban areas for achieving better employment avenues and higher social status and prestige associated with other occupations.</div>

Factors Affecting Perception of Farm Families Towards Farming as an Occupation

<div>Agriculture is the economic back-borne of majority of developing countries worldwide. The sector employs over 50% of the working population and contributes about 33% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in majority of African states. However, such contribution by the agricultural sector is likely to be affected by climate change, increasing human population and urbanization which impact on available agricultural land in various ways. There is thus an urgent need for developing countries to create or adopt technologies such as; soil-less farming that will not only address climate change challenges but also enhance crop production for improved food security. This paper reviews the science, origin, dynamics and farming systems under the soil-less agriculture precisely hydroponic farming to assist in widening the scope of knowledge of the hydroponic technologies and their implementation in Africa.</div>