Impact of Gender Sensitive Horticultural Interventions on Improving the Nutritional and Livelihood Status of Tribal Women in India

Abstract

Tribal women in India face nutrition challenges due to limited dietary diversity and persistent malnutrition. Their livelihoods depend on subsistence agriculture and the collection of non-timber forest products (NTFPs). Sustainable livelihood approaches, like horticulture initiatives, can improve nutrition and economic resilience. However, challenges include climate vulnerabilities, poor market linkage, and limited access to resources. The study aims to assess gender roles and intervene in existing horticultural production systems for sustainable livelihood and nutritional improvement of farm women. The experiment was conducted on the impact of horticulture on nutrition and livelihood in participation with 750 tribal women from 10 villages across five states, like Odisha, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Rajasthan in India. Data on demography (70% tribal population), participation (70%-100%), and food diversity (milk-40%, egg-40%, dal-75%, cereals-100%, GLV-60%, and meat-30%) revealed the prominent role of women in the tribal agri-food system. Interventions in raising seedlings in low cost net houses, pro-tray and growing vegetable crops in trailies and raised bed with participation of 750 women in 15 tribal villages of five states addressed the key issues like damage of vegetable seedlings and disease pest incidence with technology adoption rate of 20% (net house), 40% (pro-tray and Input support (56%) (trailies method) and 64% (raised bed method). Healthy crop, uniform growth, easy plucking and no damage during transplanting were the perceived technological impacts with an impact index of 86%. Varietal replacement through front-line demonstration in 318.5-acre area involving 750 farmwomen revealed both increase in production (85-662 Kg) and income (Rs 300/- to Rs 4,200/-) with impact (mean core) on nutritional status (3.26-3.55), livelihood security (1.65-2.06) and farm income (Rs 28,200/- to Rs 37,820/-). However, the impact in soil fertility, family income and nutrition had an Impact index of 54%, with 36% in man-days engagement and 34% increase in family income, enabling the women to attain sustainable livelihood.