Women-Friendly Mini Tillers May Change Agriculture's Conventional Division Of Labour Based On Gender

According to The Bhutan Live, Bhutan has introduced Indian-made mini tillers that are designed to uproot weeds in fruit gardens and vegetable fields as part of the Food Security and Agriculture Productivity Project.

This project is expected to challenge the long-held belief that ploughing fields is solely a job for men while harvesting and processing crops are reserved for women. By encouraging more women to use mini tillers, the gender-based division of labor in agriculture could potentially shift.

The district agriculture sector in Samtse, Bhutan, has distributed power mini tillers that are friendly towards women. As part of the Food Security and Agriculture Productivity project, these tillers aim to improve agricultural productivity in the area.

Chimi Dema, a 41-year-old resident of Dorokha village, has traveled to Samtse town to purchase one of these tillers. Before making the purchase, Chimi took the initiative to study the tiller thoroughly and become familiar with its operating procedures.

Before purchasing it, Chimi made sure to thoroughly study the mini tiller and become well-versed in its operating procedures. Being a mother of two, Chimi viewed the mini-tiller as a tool for achieving self-dependency and empowerment.

According to her, the conventional power tillers are typically bulky and robust, making them difficult for women to handle. However, the mini tiller is different. Its small and user-friendly design allows women to operate it with ease.

Chimi also acknowledged the mini tiller's potential to address the issue of limited labor in rural villages.

According to a report by The Bhutan Live, a resident of Yoeseltse named Tshewang Dorji expressed that due to the difficulty of finding and hiring laborers for agricultural work, they have started to rely on machines that can do the work of multiple people.

Tshewang mentioned that the high cost of hiring laborers, combined with the intense heat during farming season, makes it a challenge to engage in farming activities. However, with the use of mini-tillers, Tshewang can efficiently cultivate her land without having to exert too much physical effort.

Penjor, a resident of the village, expressed his optimism about the potential of the recently acquired mini-tillers to enhance vegetable farming in their community. The lack of bulls and power tillers had previously impeded their agricultural activities.

The distribution of 23 mini-tillers to beneficiaries from Dophuchen, Norboogang, Yoeseltse, Sang-Ngag-Chhoeling, and Tendu gewogs was conducted on a cost-sharing basis of 50 percent.

-ANI

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