Validation of Traditional Cotton Harvesting Practices through an Ergonomically Modified Harvesting Bag: A Community-Based Study among Farm Women in Rajasthan, India

Abstract

Cotton is a major cash crop in Rajasthan, where manual picking places a substantial physical workload on farm women. This community-based study evaluated an ergonomically modified cotton harvesting bag against the traditional practice of using a gunny bag or cloth tied to the body. Front-line demonstrations were conducted with 120 farm women in Barlajsar, Pulasar, and Hariyasar Jatan villages of Sardarshahar tehsil, Churu district, during the 2023–24 and 2024–25 kharif seasons. Data were collected through structured field surveys and assessment of work efficiency, comfort, stress reduction, body-load reduction, cotton-picking output, wage returns, and user acceptability. On a pooled mean basis, 81.0% of participants reported higher work efficiency and 70.0% reported greater comfort with the modified bag. The harvesting rate increased from 4.9 to 5.4 kg per hour, corresponding to a 10.2% increase in work efficiency and an additional 4.0 kg of seed cotton per 8-hour working day. At a harvesting rate of Rs. 8.0 per kg, pooled daily earnings increased from Rs. 313.6 to Rs. 345.6, equivalent to an additional Rs. 960 over 30 working days. The modified bag was also associated with improved load distribution, reduced perceived physical stress, and high willingness to adopt. These findings support its practical utility as a drudgery-reducing option for manual cotton harvesting among farm women in the study area.