Traditional post-harvest operations of millets and drudgery of women

Abstract

Traditional post-harvest activities in agriculture are mostly done by women and are most drudgerious. The study mainly attempted to identify post-harvest operations of millets and determine level of drudgery of women farmers while doing by traditional methods and improved practices. Total 32 women respondents were selected from different age groups and social strata from traditional millet growing area. The post-harvest operations of millets performed by the women were; threshing, winnowing, drying, flour making and flatbread making. The ergonomic parameters of these operations with traditional methods were compared with improved methods using machines. The results revealed that the level of drudgery realized in performing the five identified operations with improved practices was considerably reduced by 35 to 87% than the traditional practices done by the women farmers. Among the five, both threshing and flour making were assessed to be moderate consumption of energy under improved methods. Making flatbread by using power-operated machine helped them to reduce their drudgery level from high (DI=78.97) with traditional method to moderate level (DI=58.51). It was observed that if operation-wise appropriate machine and operational skill was given to hand the machineries; their drudgery would be reduced, the work output and their efficiency would be enhanced and thereby, boosted-up consumption of the millets and their health.