The research was conducted in Samastipur district of North Bihar. Out of 20 blocks two rice growing blocks were selected randomly for the field investigation. Two villages from each block making a sample of 4 villages were selected randomly. A sample of 40 farm families from each of the 4 selected villages were taken by proportionate stratified random sampling technique on the basis of land holding possessed by them. Thus, the total sample consisted of 160 farm families. The data were collected with the help of a well-structured pre-tested interview schedule related to different variables selected for the study. The collected data were analysed through t-test for meaningful of results.

Results and Discussion                               

The decision making process of farm men and women varies from one society to another. An attempt has been made to analyse the decision-making pattern of farm women in rice-based farming systems. The decision making pattern has been divided into three different groups such as men, women and jointly. The areas of decision making in farming have been categorised into two distinct classes, like farm related decisions and money related decisions.

1. Farm related decision

The decision making pattern in farm activities have been sub-divided into three areas like crop production, labour allocation and livestock related decisions. The frequency and percentage distribution by areas of decision making had been shown in table 1

1. Crop production decisions

Table 1 reveals the results of the study concerning decision making with regard to agriculture and related activities in rice-based farming system. It indicated that despite the breakthrough in agricultural technology in the recent past still the decisions are taken by the male members in most of the situations. It is further testified that women are by and large marginalized lot in so far as major decisions are concerned. It cleared from table 1 that 60.76, 20.97 and 18.40 per cent of all agricultural decisions in rice based production were taken by men, women and jointly respectively. This was probably because of the reason that women are by and large not exposed to the changes taking place in the field of agricultural sciences and their nature of work in house related activities do not permit sufficient time for their involvement in decision making process. The table further showed to make concerned efforts in this front to mobilize the resources for convincing the women to participate in decision making process.

• Labour allocation decisions

It is apparent from the Table1 that decisions with regard to labour allocations in rice-tased farming system. Most of decisions regarding labour allocation in rice-based farm related works were taken by male. But in the era of equal opportunity for both sexes women are yet far behind in this respect and contributed only 8.33 % of decisions. Further it is also cleared from the table 1 that joint decisions taken by men and women were slightly higher i.e.14.79 percent than the decision taken by the women independently

The findings reported in preceding paragraph may be due to the fact that rural society consultation of women with the men before doing any important work in the regular feature on account of which most of their own decisions are ultimately converted into joint decisions.

• Livestock related decisions

Table 1 reveals the fact that decisions related to livestock activities were mostly dominated by male folk. Although most of the work were conducted inside home periphery yet so far as the involvement of women as decisions makers is concerned, it is at very low level and they took independent decisions in specific items like number and type of livestock to be kept and their maintenance, feeding/grazing of animals, maintenance of animal shed and taking care of animals, As evident, 24,09 per cent of decisions as against 59.l6 per cent of decision were taken by male and 16.80 per cent were taken by jointly.

                The findings also indicated that men dominated women in making independent decisions because of the fact that women folk as a whole are not exposed to the livestock related production and management techniques, Besides this, their nature of multiple involvement in home related activities also do not permit sufficient time for their involvement in decision making.

                The studies further suggest to make concerted efforts on this front for creating awareness and mobilizing the resources for convincing the rural women folk for their active participation is decision making process. Management of livestock is one of the important allied agricultural activities in which Indian women can contribute a lot.

                This may be the fact that women are not exposed to the modern farm related activities. Besides this they have greater tendency of consultation with the male which ultimately resulted into joint decisions.

• Money related decisions

The money related decisions were divided under three sub-areas. The result of analysis of data so obtained have been depicted in Table 2. A perusal of Table 25 indicated that both men and women have great concern with the money management. Therefore, majority of decisions were taken jointly by men and women (41.S6%). But when decisions were taken independently, involvement of women in money management were only half of the men’s (39.37%).

           When we look to the data in Table 25 other money related decisions namely capital transaction and disposal of farm produce, it testified that nearly 50 per cent of decisions were taken by men folk while involvement of women in these decisions was at low level and about 18 per cent of decisions. Women independently could not made a firm position in these type of money related activities, but they contributed a lot in joint decisions with men.

               An overall view indicated that money related decisions were dominated by men and jointly by men and women. This is probably because of the reason that although involvement of women in money related activities is at very low level, yet due to their greater hold in money management decisions, they involve themselves in joint decisions.

Overall decision making process to rice-based farming system

               The consolidated picture of decision making process of rural women in farming has been presented in Table 3 and Fig.4. Table 26 revealed that men dominated the scene in both the areas of farm and money related decisions. Joint decision was the most predominant pattern of decision making in money related decisions (37.07%). The area-wise pattern of taking decision revealed that men and women took 65.55 and 17.79 per cent of all decisions related to farm activities independently. Under money related decision men and women took independent decisions to the extent of 44.00 and 19.03 per cent of all decisions. Nearly 37% of all money related decisions were taken jointly.

   Table    2.                  Participation of rural women in decision making in money related activities                                     

Men and women took independent decisions up to 54,97 and 18.71 per cent of all farm and money related decisions. Joint decisions were taken 26.86 per cent of all farm and money related decisions. This points out that men dominated women in all farm money related decisions.

             As a result, women were found to be involved almost half of the men in influencing the overall decision making process. This indicated the presence of a pattern of unequal male and female input in all farm and allied decision making in North Bihar society.

Mean score on decision making

            The mean scores on decision making of men and women in different areas of farm and allied activities and calculated value of ‘t’ has been shown in Table 4.

                  From Table 4 it had cleared that calculated values of t’ for men and women with regard to their decision-making scores in different areas of farm and allied activities in rice-based farming system were highly significant which shown that there were highly significant differences in participation of men and women in decision making in different areas of farm and allied activities in rice farming system. The men had significantly higher mean decision scores than women in all the three areas namely, rice-based production decision, livestock related decision and money related decision. This informed that the involvment of men was higher than women in decision making in all these areas.

REFERENCES

[1]   Ahmed N, Hussain A 2004. Women’s Role in Forestry: Pakistan Agriculture. Agriculture Foundation of Pakistan, Islamabad, pp. 79-81.

[2]   Choudhary H, Singh S 2003. Farm women in agriculture operations. Agriculture Extension Review, 15(1): 21-23.

[3]   Damisha MA, Yohanna M 2007. Role of women in farm management decision making process: Ordered probit analysis, World Journal of Agriculture of Agricultural Science, 3(4): 543-546

[4]   Enete AA, Amusa TA 2010. Determinates of women’s contribution to farming decision in coca based agroforestry household of Ekiti State, Nigeria. Journal of Field Actions, 6(4): 23-29.

[5]   Katiyar S, et al. 2008. Role of farmwomen in decision making concerning  farm and  home activities. Rajasthan Journal of Extension Education,16: 195-198.

[6]   Mishra S, et al. (2008). Gender participation and role of women in livestock management practices in Bundel khand region of central India. International journal of Rural Studies, 15(1): 1-9.

[7]   Samanta RK (1994). The Reap Less Than Show. The Hindu (April) No.7, Chennai, India.

[8]   Sing P, et al. (2004). Participation of women in agriculture. Indian Journal of Extension Education, XXX(3-4):23-27.

[9]   SOFA Team and Cheryl Doss 2011. The role of women in agriculture. ESA Working Paper No. 11-02. Food and Agric. Org. Agric. Devel. Econ. Division, P. 47.

[10]  Tsegaye D, et al. (2012). Extent of rural women participation and decision making in seed production activities.  Global Advanced Research Journal of agricultural sciences. 1(7): 186-190.

[11]  Faisal, 2018. Economic Survey 2017/2018: agriculture sector surpasses growth target. http://www.pkrevenue.com/finance/economic-survey-2017-2018-agriculture-sector-surpasses-growth-target/.

[12]   Rabail Gandahi, 2016. Role of rural women in agriculture. Retrieved from: https:// pakobserver.net/role-of-rural-women-in-agriculture .

[13]  Asma Zafar and Saira Akhtar, (2003).Farmers Perception About Social Impact and Constraints in Wastewater Irrigation. Pak. J. Agri. Sci., Vol. 40(3-4), 2003.

[14]  Violet, j. 1983.The Women of Pakistan. WSCF Asia/Pacific Office, Hong Kong.

[15]  FAO, 2017. Women and food security. An Article website http://www.Fao.org.

[16]  Economic Survey, 2016-17. Government of Pakistan. Economic Advisor’s Wing, Finance.