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Women's access to agriculture extension amidst COVID-19: Insights from Gujarat, India and Dang, Nepal

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  • Alvi, Muzna
  • Barooah, Prapti
  • Gupta, Shweta
  • Saini, Smriti

Abstract

COVID-19 induced lockdowns have had far reaching impacts on the rural sector, particularly on women farmers. These impacts have been exacerbated by lack of access to reliable and timely agriculture information. Using panel phone survey data from India and Nepal, we study how women's access to agricultural extension was impacted by the lockdowns and its effect on agricultural productivity. We find that women's already low access to formal extension was reduced further, leading to an increased reliance on informal social networks. In both countries, nearly 50% farmers reported negative impacts on productivity due to inaccessibility of information during the lockdown. In India, we find that access to formal extension is mediated by crop type, geographic location and caste identity. We discuss ways in which extension systems in India and Nepal can be made more inclusive and resilient to future crisis, including by adapting group and community-based approaches to post-pandemic best practices.

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  • Alvi, Muzna & Barooah, Prapti & Gupta, Shweta & Saini, Smriti, 2021. "Women's access to agriculture extension amidst COVID-19: Insights from Gujarat, India and Dang, Nepal," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 188(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:agisys:v:188:y:2021:i:c:s0308521x20308969
    DOI: 10.1016/j.agsy.2020.103035
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    6. Stephens, Emma & Timsina, Jagadish & Martin, Guillaume & van Wijk, Mark & Klerkx, Laurens & Reidsma, Pytrik & Snow, Val, 2022. "The immediate impact of the first waves of the global COVID-19 pandemic on agricultural systems worldwide: Reflections on the COVID-19 special issue for agricultural systems," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 201(C).
    7. Rosalind Ragetlie & Dina Najjar & Dorsaf Oueslati, 2022. "“Dear Brother Farmer”: Gender-Responsive Digital Extension in Tunisia during the COVID-19 Pandemic," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(7), pages 1-22, March.
    8. Mutegi, James & Adolwa, Ivan & Kiwia, Abed & Njoroge, Samuel & Gitonga, Angela & Muthamia, Joses & Nchanji, Eileen & Mairura, Franklin & Majumdar, Kaushik & Zingore, Shamie & Oberthur, Thomas & Kiremu, 2024. "Agricultural production and food security implications of Covid-19 disruption on small-scale farmer households: Lessons from Kenya," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 173(C).
    9. Saripalle, Madhuri & Subramanian, Vijaya C., 2022. "Production, Prices and Supply Chain disruption among farmers during Covid-19: Empirical Evidence from India," 2022 Annual Meeting, July 31-August 2, Anaheim, California 322395, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.

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