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Agricultural wage work, seasonal migration and the widening gender gap: evidence from a semi-arid region of Andhra Pradesh

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  • Supriya Garikipati

Abstract

In India, there are large gender disparities in ownership of agricultural land and the state's poverty alleviation programmes mainly target landless male labourers. Given these conditions, agricultural wage work was the only avenue through which poor rural women could expect to become financially independent and combat iniquitous social norms. This development paradigm was the guiding force behind the feminization of agricultural wage work in India. This study investigates the linkages between female work and empowerment implicit to the process of feminization for the semi-arid regions of Andhra Pradesh. We find that women here are heavily involved in agricultural wage work mainly because better paying work like self-employment and seasonal migration are beyond the reach of most women. As a result women's wages, working conditions and relative power within the household remain acutely depressed. Furthermore, evidence suggests that income from seasonal migration is causing the wealth gap between men and women to widen. Policies with a clearer focus on improving women's off-farm opportunities and those that challenge patriarchal control over productive assets are required.

Suggested Citation

  • Supriya Garikipati, 2008. "Agricultural wage work, seasonal migration and the widening gender gap: evidence from a semi-arid region of Andhra Pradesh," The European Journal of Development Research, Taylor and Francis Journals, vol. 20(4), pages 629-648.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:eurjdr:v:20:y:2008:i:4:p:629-648
    DOI: 10.1080/09578810802464870
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    Cited by:

    1. Rao, Nitya, 2017. "Assets, Agency and Legitimacy: Towards a Relational Understanding of Gender Equality Policy and Practice," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 95(C), pages 43-54.
    2. Rajkumar, Vidya Bharathi, 2020. "Male Migration & Changing roles for Women in Agriculture in Rural India," 2020 Annual Meeting, July 26-28, Kansas City, Missouri 304629, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    3. Menon, Nidhiya & van der Meulen Rodgers, Yana & Nguyen, Huong, 2014. "Women’s Land Rights and Children’s Human Capital in Vietnam," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 54(C), pages 18-31.
    4. Supriya Garikipati, 2011. "Microcredit and Women’s Empowerment: Through the Lens of Time Use Data from Rural India," Working Papers CEB 11-034, ULB -- Universite Libre de Bruxelles.
    5. Rao, Nitya & Pradhan, Mamata & Roy, Devesh, 2017. "Gender justice and food security in India: A review," IFPRI discussion papers 1600, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    6. Valerie Mueller & Chiara Kovarik & Kathryn Sproule & Agnes Quisumbing, 2015. "Migration, Gender, and Farming Systems in Asia: Evidence, Data, and Knowledge Gaps," Working Papers id:7478, eSocialSciences.
    7. O'Hara, Corey & Clement, Floriane, 2018. "Power as agency: A critical reflection on the measurement of women’s empowerment in the development sector," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 106(C), pages 111-123.
    8. KANJILAL-BHADURI, Sanghamitra, 2017. "Emergent Gender Relations In Female Employment Within The Social Stratification In Rural India," Annals of Spiru Haret University, Economic Series, Universitatea Spiru Haret, vol. 17(2), pages 75-102.
    9. Cathy Rozel Farnworth & Tahseen Jafry & Preeti Bharati & Lone Badstue & Ashok Yadav, 2021. "From Working in the Fields to Taking Control. Towards a Typology of Women's Decision-Making in Wheat in India," The European Journal of Development Research, Palgrave Macmillan;European Association of Development Research and Training Institutes (EADI), vol. 33(3), pages 526-552, June.
    10. Supriya Garikipati, 2012. "Microcredit and Women's Empowerment: Through the Lens of Time-Use Data from Rural India," Development and Change, International Institute of Social Studies, vol. 43(3), pages 719-750, May.
    11. Mohd Imran KHAN & Ashapurna BARUAH, 2021. "Internal migration, remittances and labour force participation in rural India: A gender perspective," International Labour Review, International Labour Organization, vol. 160(3), pages 453-476, September.
    12. Nitya Rao, 2012. "Male ‘Providers’ and Female ‘Housewives’: A Gendered Co-performance in Rural North India," Development and Change, International Institute of Social Studies, vol. 43(5), pages 1025-1048, September.
    13. Cathy Rozel Farnworth & Tahseen Jafry & Preeti Bharati & Lone Badstue & Ashok Yadav, 0. "From Working in the Fields to Taking Control. Towards a Typology of Women's Decision-Making in Wheat in India," The European Journal of Development Research, Palgrave Macmillan;European Association of Development Research and Training Institutes (EADI), vol. 0, pages 1-27.

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