Role of Agriculture in Women’s Economic Development: A Case Study of Pakistan

Feminization of agriculture has been occurred in Pakistan and women’s are participating in agriculture and its allied fields. In rural areas of Pakistan, women’s living conditions are not up to the mark. For the betterment of living standard, women’s are working in agriculture on daily wages. Agriculture not only in Pakistan but all over the world has become a tool for women’s economic development. Present study explores the role of agriculture in women’s economic development. A sample of 140 female respondents was selected through multistage sampling technique. Questionnaire was used for data collection. The collected data were analyzed by using SPSS and descriptive statistical technique. Results of the study reveals that majority of the respondents were performing agricultural activities, while rural women were also involved in stitching of clothes (40%), teaching (18%), spinning (5%), working in textile (3%) and LHW (7.1%). It was found that their income had a significant impact on their socio-economic status. A majority i.e. 60.7 percent of them were performing economic activities willingly. About 5.7 percent of the respondents had thinking ‘to a great extent’ that their present salary is according to their work, while a large majority i.e. 77.9 percent of them had thinking ‘to some extent’ that their present salary is according to their work. A significant majority i.e. 78.6 percent of the respondents were satisfied as a working woman.