Women's status and adoption of integrated pest management: A study of rural Bangladesh

Introduction of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) technology in Bangladesh creates an interesting case to show the complicated interplay between cultural norms, women's role, and structural transformation of agriculture. By taking Integrated Pest Management Collaborative Research and Support Project (IPM CRSP) Bangladesh as the site for the field research, this research studied the role of women in pest management and analyses how the status of women influences their stakes in household decisions about IPM adoption and implementation. Understanding the changes in roles, responsibilities, and control over resources as a result of structural changes helps in assessing how planned interventions (for e.g., IPM technology) would be influenced by women and affect women.;Data for this research was collected in 2000 from 10 villages in Mymensingh and Gazipur districts of Bangladesh. For purposes of this study, I used the concept of woman's status to refer to the nature of familial power relations. The two indicators used for familial power are household division of labor and the outcome of household decision-making processes. The multi-dimensional characteristic of the decision-making process was addressed in this study by considering women's decision-making in three spheres---individual, socio-cultural, and economic.;Similar patterns of level of involvement in household tasks for educated and uneducated women, young and old women, and rich and poor women suggested an overwhelming power of societal norms that have excluded women from "productive work" and confined them to "reproductive work." The results of bivariate and multivariate analysis for women's decision-making power in the socio-cultural sphere highlighted the continuing dilemma of Bangladeshi women trying to adjust to changing socio-economic realities. Women's higher level of involvement in decisions regarding fertility, mobility, purdah, agricultural management and household finance management failed to have a positive impact on their involvement in decisions regarding assets transaction. This scenario highlighted the discrepancy between domestic and economic spheres that exists for the women of Bangladesh.;The findings of this study indicated that pest control activities in rural Bangladesh followed a separate crop and separate task pattern. Men predominantly undertook the responsibilities of pest control in the rice crop, and for the vegetable crops women took the responsibility. As compared to chemical methods of pest control, a relatively higher proportion of women were involved in pest monitoring and non-chemical methods of pest control. Contrary to expectations, the likelihood of women getting involved in pest control activities diminished with increased involvement of women in agricultural decisions.;As the roles and responsibilities of the women change with age, from a taskdoer to a manager, IPM program managers should deliver "age-task" specific IPM training programs. To overcome separate crop and separate task limitations of IPM, a family approach that involves sons, husbands and women will be more effective IPM program strategy. Documentation of traditional pest control methods used by women will help preserve local knowledge of pest control, minimize reliance of farmers for external inputs for adopting IPM, and help prevent sidelining women's involvement in agricultural activities. To develop and design IPM programs that are gender and culture sensitive, recognizing the importance of institution of purdah is crucial. Programs that conform to societal norms are likely to have a better acceptance and success.