1. Conference on New Directions for Smallholder Agriculture Mahabub Hossain and W. M. H. Jaim Empowering Women to Become Farmer Entrepreneur: Case Study of a NGO Supported Program in Bangladesh Date of presentation: 25 . 01 . 2011

5. INTRODUCTION

18. FINDINGS: Economic Empowerment Some studies in South Asia find that economic empowerment has been the entry point for overall empowerment of women if they are organized under a common platform Socio-economic characteristics of selected small farmers Particulars Female Farmers Male Farmers Illiterate Average years of schooling 40% 3 11% 6 Agriculture as main occupation 17% 96% Female members participation in agriculture 71% 44% Average farm size (acres) 1.26 2.09 Farm size distribution Below .50 acre (Marginal farmers) .50 to 3.00 acre (Small farmers) 3.01 to 5.00 acre (Large farmers) 27% 66% 7% 4% 75% 21%

22. FINDINGS : Economic Empowerment Some studies in South Asia find that economic empowerment has been the entry point for overall empowerment of women if they are organized under a common platform % of products marketed by the small farmers Products Female farmers Male Farmers Aman paddy 44% 51% Boro paddy 56% 63% Potato 78% 97% Maize 100% 100% Jute 100% 100% Vegetables > 90% > 90%

23. FINDINGS : Economic Empowerment Some studies in South Asia find that economic empowerment has been the entry point for overall empowerment of women if they are organized under a common platform Per acre profitability from alternative cropping patterns Cropping patterns Net return over full cost (Taka) Return over cash cost (Taka) Aman-Maize-fallow 21,157 44,020 Aman-Potato-maize 28,705 64,780 Aman-Boro-fallow 33,301 54,966

24. FINDINGS : Economic Empowerment Some studies in South Asia find that economic empowerment has been the entry point for overall empowerment of women if they are organized under a common platform investments since joining NCDP (in Taka) Type of Investment Female farmers Male farmers Improving housing condition 48,133 56,178 Consumable household assets 15,723 15,506 Farm assets 32,790 45,198 Land purchase 29,967 13,400 Land mortgage-in 12,929 17,179 Business 4,300 23,036 Service* 6,667 - Children’s education (yearly) 7,548 8748

25. FINDINGS: Economic Empowerment Some studies in South Asia find that economic empowerment has been the entry point for overall empowerment of women if they are organized under a common platform Credit support from NCDP Farmer category First year (in Taka) At present (in Taka) Change (no. of times) Female 5,700 17,192 3.02 Male 4,964 19,000 3.83

27. FINDINGS: Economic Empowerment Some studies in South Asia find that economic empowerment has been the entry point for overall empowerment of women if they are organized under a common platform Extent of participation of female farmers in EAs (Total number of farmers = 30) Economic activities (EAs) Never Occasionally Frequent i) Crop production activities 5 13 12 ii) Vegetables and spices production activities in fields 13 6 11 iii) Poultry rearing 6 3 21 iv) Goat rearing 11 3 16 v) Cattle rearing 6 3 21 vi) Aquiculture 30 0 0 vii) Wage labour 27 2 1 viii) Marketing activities 30 0 0 ix) Non-agricultural activities 28 1 1

28. FINDINGS: Economic Empowerment Some studies in South Asia find that economic empowerment has been the entry point for overall empowerment of women if they are organized under a common platform Personal income of the female farmers from different economic activities Activities Average / household (Tk.) % of total income Production activities in field crops 2,127 26 Production activities for spices and vegetables in field 1,050 13 Poultry rearing 877 11 Goat rearing 908 11 Cattle rearing 1,727 21 Aquiculture 0 0 Wage labour 740 9 Non-agricultural activities 647 8 Total 8,076 100

29. FINDINGS: Economic Empowerment Some studies in South Asia find that economic empowerment has been the entry point for overall empowerment of women if they are organized under a common platform Determinants of women’s participation in economic activities: Estimates of Probit Function Explanatory variables Coefficient Z-ratio Years of education of head of family (X 1 ) 0.360 1.884* Years of education of female farmer (X 2 ) 0.131 . 804 Total family members of active age group (X 3 ) 1.070 1.122 Area under high value crop (X 4 ) 0.046 2.089** Farm size at present (X 5 ) -0.013 -2.011** Intercept -7.317 -1.616 χ 2 34.071*** Note: *** denotes P≤0.01, **denotes 0.01<P≤0.05 and * denotes 0.05<P≤0.10

30. FINDINGS: Social Empowerment Some studies in South Asia find that economic empowerment has been the entry point for overall empowerment of women if they are organized under a common platform Mobility of NCDP female farmers outside home Reasons for mobility Degree of mobility outside home (% of females) Never Occasionally Frequently Purchasing inputs from non-local shops 67% 30% 3% Selling products 97% 3% 0% Attending meetings/workshop 13% 70% 17% Depositing loan installments 0% 13% 87% Shopping/travelling, etc. 3% 87% 10%

31. FINDINGS: Social Empowerment Some studies in South Asia find that economic empowerment has been the entry point for overall empowerment of women if they are organized under a common platform Participation of women in decision making process Decision making parameters Decision is taken by: Average Women Empowerment Index (WEI) Male alone Male and female jointly Female alone Agriculture related 1.86 Selection of crops and variety 3 27 0 1.90 Management of production 3 27 0 1.90 Purchasing inputs 2 28 0 1.93 Cattle and poultry rearing 1 27 2 2.03 Sell of crop / cattle and poultry 0 30 0 2.00 Homestead gardening 0 15 3 2.17 Post harvest operations of crops 1 29 0 1.97

32. FINDINGS: Social Empowerment Some studies in South Asia find that economic empowerment has been the entry point for overall empowerment of women if they are organized under a common platform Decision making parameters Decision is taken by: Average WEI Male alone Male and females Female alone Non-agriculture related 1.83 Cash management 2 28 0 1.93 Education of children 1 27 0 1.96 Land purchase and sell 1 22 0 1.96 Traveling and recreation 2 28 0 1.93 Casting vote in election 2 28 0 1.93 Agri. and Non- agriculture 1.85 Number of female farmers’ household = 30 Empowerment Status: Not empowered, if WEI i ≤ 1.5 and Empowered if WEI i > 1 .5