Lesson 7 : Activities of Women in Agriculture & Allied Sectors
Forestry
The Indian population, particularly the rural, is highly dependent upon forests. Fuel wood contributes 84% of the total household energy consumption. There are 66.5 million tribals in India and with few exception, majority of them are forest dwellers. Unfortunately, forests are deteriorating massively due to encroachment of agricultural production, mining, construction of dams, industrial and railway demand. In India about 16% of the total geographical area is covered by woodland and forests. Rural Indian women's interface with the forests is varying - gathering, wage employment, production in farm forestry and management of afforested areas in the community plantation.
In India, women are the major gatherers and users of a much more diverse range of forest products than men.
Primarily Non-timber Forest Products (NTFP) are collected by women and timber by men. In several parts of India, large proportions of the tribal population depend on NTFP as their main source of livelihood.
Apart from fodder and fuel, women collect food, medicinal plants, building materials, material for household items and farm implements.
As women are the ones who have traditionally been collecting forest products, they possess the knowledge of properties and potential uses of these products.
Participants