International Journal of Agriculture Extension and Social Development

author(s)
Praveen Jakhar, Indu Rawat, Sabita Mishra, Ananta Sarkar, SK Sarangi and Mridula Devi

abstract
Women's active participation in watershed development programmes in India is multifaceted and significant. Women as key stakeholders and primary users, are crucial for community development in general and individual empowerment in particular. Therefore, it is essential to recognize and involve women in watershed management. This study was conducted to investigate the level of empowerment and livelihood development of women through watershed programmes in different agroecological regions (AER) of India. Data were analysed from seven watersheds covering six AERs of India with watershed villages taken as treatment and non-watershed villages as control. The dimensions of women's empowerment were compared between watershed farm women (n=280) and control farm women (n=280). Under social empowerment, watershed farm women (3.93) scored higher in terms of active participation in meetings than control farm women (2.33). Similarly for recognition of women as user group/ Self-Help Groups, farm women from watershed (4.20) scored higher than farm women from control area (2.70). The economic empowerment of farm women from watershed area had higher values in all sub-dimensions (family expenses planning, control over income, income generating activity and access to credit facilities) compared to control. Livelihood development index was assessed in terms of human, social, economic, political, physical, and natural capital. This analysis showed that post watershed (5.10) women were more empowered in terms of social capital (5.59) due to enhanced contact of watershed women with social groups and progressive farmers followed by physical (presence of pucca houses, infrastructure, and sanitation facility) and human capital (5.21) (female literacy and availability of nutritious food for family). Overall, watershed farm women registered higher levels (53%) of empowerment across dimensions compared to control, as evident from the mean scores and z values.