WOMEN PARTICIPATION IN HOMESTEAD VEGETABLE PRODUCTION IN SOME SELECTED AREAS OF PATUAKHALI DISTRICT

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to determine the level of participation of the women in homestead vegetable production and profitability in three unions namely Angaria, Sreerampur and Lebukhali under Patuakhali district. A structured interview schedule was applied to collect data. Data were collected from selected 90 rural women (30 from each of three unions) purposively during the period from 16 August to 30 September 2019 and Tabular and statistical technique such as Cobb-Douglas production functions were used to achieve the major objectives of the study. Results revealed that, on average 74%, 47% & 63% women predominantly involved in vegetable production and earned Tk. 234,924.00, Tk. 102,109.71 and Tk. 135,482.37.44 in the selected Angaria, Sreerampur and Lebukhali unions. Vegetables like Brinjal, Bean, Cucumber and Papaya had been the common ones in the study areas and duly used in the study to fulfill the objectives. Some socio-economic characteristics of the respondent rural women like educational level, farm size, annual family income and training experience had a significant and positive relationship with their extent of participation in homestead vegetable production. This study also identified some of the economic, technical and social problems and constrained faced by the rural women to undertake homestead vegetable production. Finally, recommendations were made to increase production of vegetables by making each inch of homestead usable.