Participatiory Profiles of Women in Eri Culture in Assam State of India

In order to visualize the participatory profiles of women in different activities of eri culture, a study carried out in the Udalguri district of BTC, Assam. The study revealed that participations of women in host plant cultivation and management was not significant (3.8 %) but in silkworm rearing, cocoon harvesting, marketing and spinning of spun yarn the participations of women was very high (72.1%). Besides, the women play a major role in decision making for most of the activities of eri culture. Further, 48.9% women alone take decisions against 33.6% men in various activities of eri culture. Joint decisions taken by both men and women were recorded 17.4%. The study also revealed that marital status and annual income of the women have significant correlation with the participation in eri culture while age and family size of the women have negative correlation. Similarly, education, caste and size of land holding found to have negative correlation with their extent of participation. Various constraints like lack of separate rearing house, lack of adequate plantation, lack of improved technological knowledge and inadequate time reported to have influences in participation of women in eri culture. As the women contributes significantly in socio-economic development of rural sector through eri culture, the rural women needs financial and technological supports for development of eri culture.