Weeds and Gender

There are possible trade-offs with proven advantages in implementing CASI schemes in the Eastern Gangetic Plains (EGP). The evolving weed dynamics and crop-weed competition is one constant concern that has made weed management one of the greatest obstacles in the implementation of CASI. Weed control is one of the problems that farmers report frequently in a CASI environment. That is why enhanced research is needed to better understand the impact of weed management on household decision-making.

In order to create effective Weed Control packages, the understanding of weed issues faced and of approaches used by men and woman farmers in managing changing weed communities in these structures is key to facilitating sustainable and equitable intensification and improved livelihoods for EGP farmers.

While there is some emphasis on the agronomic implications of changes in weed management, socio-economic problems have been less discussed. Though there are limited specific studies on the gendered dimension of the adoption of CASI practices, research on gender implications of changing weed dynamics under CASI systems in the South Asian context is almost non-existent.

Weeds and Gender project has explored this vacuum on the basis of facts and reflects on the gendered aspects of control of weeds in the context of CASI systems in the EGP. This project has looked at farmers’ expertise, behaviors, and activities in weed management in particular with regard to the distribution of household labor and the decision-making of the household with regard to CASI practice implementation.

Based on the previous SRFSI reports, this project has focused on how farmers view and deal with the changing weed populations in their farms and the importance of such perceptions on their decision-making in relation to CASI implementation.

Along with key-informant interactions and focus group discussions, this project implemented a mixed methods research design and explored the potential use of photography to document production and weed management practices and facilitate identification of toxic weeds via the Photovoice method.

To know more about the Photovoice method, please see this guidebook which provides an outline of collecting quantitative, qualitative, vocal, and visual data. The flexible nature of the Photovoice method outlined in this guidebook allows researchers to modify the duration and number of meetings depending on the requirement or objective of the study. The intention is that this can be used as a basis for other studies with similar objectives.

… for more productive, profitable and resilient farming systems

The SRFSI project is a regional research for development collaboration of more than 30 partners, focused on the Eastern Gangetic Plains.