Understanding Stress in Farm Women: An Analysis of Contributing Factors

Abstract

With increasing rural-to-urban migration by men, Indian agriculture is experiencing "feminization," where women take on key roles as cultivators, labourers, and entrepreneurs. They often face a heavy workload and significant stress due to the demanding nature of farm work combined with their domestic responsibilities, including childcare and household chores, with limited access to resources and support, leading to physical and mental stress or health concerns. The stress experienced by farm women can harm sustainable agriculture by reducing productivity, impairing decision-making, and decreasing resilience to environmental challenges. The number of studies related to the stress and well-being of women in farming are still relatively small thus, research has been conducted in Coochbehar and Alipurduar districts of West Bengal, to study the level of stress of the farm women as well as the factors contributing to it. The study has also generated measures to reduce the stress level among the farm women. The study employed an ex post facto research design and a mix method approach in collecting data. A stratified simple random sampling technique was used for the study. A stratified random sampling technique was used to ensure representation of different groups. The state, district and blocks were selected purposively whereas, the villages and respondents were selected randomly. The state, districts, and blocks were selected purposively, while villages and respondents were chosen randomly. Data from 100 women, having atleast five years of involvement in agriculture was taken through personal interview method using a structured interview schedule. Data were collected from 100 women with at least five years of experience in agriculture through personal interviews using a structured interview schedule. This study The present study highlights the significant stress experienced by farm women in the Coochbehar and Alipurduar districts of West Bengal, India. The majority of respondents reported medium levels of stress, with environmental concerns, time pressure/workload, and lack of rural amenities being the major contributing factors. External stressors and interpersonal relationships also play a role, albeit to a lesser extent. The findings underscore the need for targeted interventions to address these specific stressors and improve the overall well-being of women in agriculture.