This book presents research from across the globe on how gender relationships in agriculture are changing. In many regions of the world, agricultural transformations are occurring through increased commodification, new value-chains, technological innovations introduced by CGIAR and other development interventions, declining viability of small-holder agriculture livelihoods, male out-migration from rural areas, and climate change. This book addresses how these changes involve fluctuations in gendered labour and decision making on farms and in agriculture and, in many places, have resulted in the feminization of agriculture at a time of unprecedented climate change. Chapters uncover both how women successfully innovate and how they remain disadvantaged when compared to men in terms of access to land, labor, capital and markets that would enable them to succeed in agriculture. Building on case studies from Africa, Latin America and Asia, the book interrogates how new agricultural innovations from agricultural research, new technologies and value chains reshape gender relations. Using new methodological approaches and intersectional analyses, this book will be of great interest to students and scholars of agriculture, gender, sustainable development and environmental studies more generally.

This paper attempts to understand gender issues in micro-irrigation technology by exploring the dynamics of gender, water and rural livelihoods. Based on an empirical study in the rural areas ofWest Nepal undertaken in 2003, the paper assesses the socioeconomic impact of drip-irrigation systems on men and women􀂶s lives. A combination of participatory research tools, participant observationand secondary sources were used to generate data. The study revealed that women extensively contributed to vegetable farming under the drip-irrigation systems. The total time (mean hours) spent by women in vegetable production is significantly higher than those spent by their male counterparts. The benefit cost analysis of vegetable farming has shown overall viability in terms of net present value, benefit cost ratio, internal rate of return and payback period. Based on the study findings, thepaper suggests that similar technological interventions could be considered in places of similar socioeconomic and biophysical characteristics to help empower rural women. Finally, the paper raisessome significant questions in relation to rural livelihoods and womens entitlements.

Across the South Asian region, water determines livelihoods and in some cases even survival. However, water also creates exclusions. Access to water, and its social organisation, are intimately tied up with power relations. This book provides an overview of gender, equity and water issues relevant to South Asia. The essays empirically illustrate and theoretically argue how gender intersects with other axes of social difference such as class, caste, ethnicity, age and religion to shape water access, use and management practices. Divided into six thematic sections, each of which starts with an introduction of relevant concepts, debates and theories, the book looks at laws and rights; policies; technologies and intervention strategies. In all, the book clearly shows how understanding and changing the use, distribution and management of water is conditional upon understanding and accommodating gender relations. Published by Zubaan.

The United Nations has proclaimed the 21st century to be the century of water. In this volume, Water and Women in Past, Present and Future, scholars analyze the gendered political economy of water resource allocations and importantly, offer recommendations for viable, women-friendly solutions to address scarcity and distribution, among other issues. Contributors also explore feminist analyses of the aesthetic dimension of water and the feminine, since water is often associated with women, shown in cross-cultural examples of mythology, symbols and legends. Intersecting the fields of hydro-politics and aesthetics, this book should be of interest to policy analysts, activists, and academics.