DECISION MAKING POWER IN FINANCIAL AND MARKET TRANSACTIONS - A GENDER DIFFERENCE STUDY

G. VENKATA SUSHMA¹, V. VIJAYA LAKSHMI²*
¹Acharya N. G. Ranga Agricultural University, Lam, 522034, Andhra Pradesh
²Principal Scientist, AICRP-Home Science, PG&RC, Professor Jayashankar Telangana State Agricultural University, Rajendranagar, Hyderabad, 500030, India
* Corresponding Author : vijjikeetu@gmail.com

Received : 31-07-2018     Accepted : 11-08-2018     Published : 15-08-2018
Volume : 10     Issue : 15       Pages : 6880 - 6882
Int J Agr Sci 10.15 (2018):6880-6882

Keywords : Farming systems, financial and market transactions
Conflict of Interest : None declared
Acknowledgements/Funding : Author thankful to Professor Jayashankar Telangana State Agricultural University, Rajendranagar, Hyderabad, Telangana 500030, India
Author Contribution : All author equally contributed

In recent times, the rural households have come to occupy an important position in development studies. Because it was seen as the social mechanism through which, to at least to some degree, all individuals’ welfare and decisions are determined based on assets and resource availability. The social, economic and cultural conditions of the area determine women’s participation in to financial and market transactions. Women’s involvement in these transactions is influenced by region, farming systems, caste, creed, religion, occupation, education and income groups. In most parts of the country, women of higher caste and socioeconomic status are not allowed to participate in on-farm activities. In poor families, the women are the main performers in the field and income earned by them goes directly into the food basket of the family. An exploratory research design was adapted to study the decision making on various household related, farm related activities and data was collected through structured interview schedule. Purposive random sampling technique was used to select 40 households each from JC Agraharam and Pamidipadu villages of Prakasam district of Andhra Pradesh, thus comprised total eighty households. Results revealed that decisions related to savings, sources of savings, loans and sources of loans were taken by male respondents, but decisions related to repaying of amount and amount to be saved were decided jointly. Use of cash, credit and sources of credit were mainly decided by males.

1. Anonymous (2005) The Hindu Business Line, 30th December, 2005.
2. Swaminathan M.S. (1985) Imparting rural women perspective to agriculture research and development. Report of the Project Design Workshop on Women in Farming Systems, held at the International Rice Research Centre, Los Banos, Phillippines.
3. Balaguru T. (1992) Gender Issues in Agriculture. A 69th foundation course manual for agricultural research services. National Academy of Agricultural Research Management, Hyderabad, India,1-7.
4. Carlsson F., He, H., Martinsson, P., Qin, P and Sutter M. (2010) Discussion paper No. 5127.