WOMEN PARTICIPATION IN AGRICULTURE AMONG THE LOTHA NAGAS WITH REFERENCE TO JHUMMING Dr.Athungo Ovung Assistant Professor, Department of Sociology, Nagaland University, Hqrs: Lumami-798627 Abstract Seventy-three per cent of the people in Nagaland are engaged in agriculture and women in agriculture constitute more than 50.11 per cent. Women in rural areas have impacted the agricultural system and economy of the Wokha district by way of participating in crop production, horticulture and vegetable production as well as in livestock along with household management. With regard to jhum cultivation, men’s contributions come in the form of services that are physically demanding and seasonal however, women contributions happen in day-to-day activities that are tedious and continuous. Considering the gender bias in agriculture with reference to jhum cultivation, there is a need to explore the possibilities of evolving greater participation of women in the process of decision making for planning and implementation of various development activities in agriculture by acknowledging the barriers imposed on them due to culture and tradition. This article examines the extent of women participation in agriculture with reference to jhuming and identifies some constraints to women’s role in agriculture and gives some suggestions for further research. Keywords: Agriculture, jhuming, women participation, constraints. I. Introduction The state of Nagaland is endowed with vast natural resources with adequate rainfall, fertile soil and salubrious combine to growing variety of agro-horti crops. Agriculture in the state is largely practiced in a conventional pattern. As per the Nagaland statistical handbook, the population of the state is 19,80,602 out of which 71.03% (14,06,861) of the population lives is in Rural area constituting 2,50,360 total farming household. Seventy three per cent of the people in the state are engaged in agriculture and women in agriculture constitute more than 50.11 per cent. Wokha district, known as the land of plenty, located in the North Western track of the state, covered 1628 sq.km which accounts for 9.82 per cent of the total geographic area of the state. The economy of the district is predominantly agriculture as 75 % of the total population is engaged in agricultural activities for their livelihood (DRDA, 2005). The most common practice of agriculture in the district is Jhuming also called as shifting and the slash and burn method of cultivation. Jhuming plays a very important role in the life and culture of the Lotha people. Majority of the villagers go for jhum cultivation besides practicing other cultivating methods. The method of jhuming is practiced individually with the help of one‟s own family members and the system of collective jhum cultivation by the community does not exist in their society. Jhum cultivation is a traditional practice where ancient tools and implements are required for cultivation. Traditionally, there was enough land DOI:10.22623/IJAPSA.2019.5011.3RB2F Page 1 International Journal of Applied and Pure Science and Agriculture (IJAPSA) Volume 05, Issue 7, [July-2019] e-ISSN: 2394-5532, p-ISSN: 2394-823X that could be provided to each family member for cultivation where the cycle of jhum cultivation were between 10 to 20 years. But, with the increased number of population, the jhuming cycle is becoming shorter nowadays with an exception for small villages and villages situated near the urban areas. It does not bring sufficient output of production, but provides only for the family needs. Nevertheless, the villagers are satisfied with their present method of jhum cultivation and at the same time, they are also enthusiastic to learn new, improved and scientific method of cultivation In many developing countries, women are the primary manager and users of natural resources. Yet, gender is often overlooked element in agriculture, water, and forestry programs and projects. Gender analysis increases our understanding of the gender-based division of labour, indigenous knowledge, resource access and control, and participation in community institutions with respect to natural resource management (Slayter et al., 1993). The Nagaland Empowerment of People through Economic Development (NEPED) realizing the tremendous contribution of women in agriculture and at the same time, acknowledging the barriers imposed on them due to culture and tradition, has attempted to address the gender issues by involving women in its activities from grass root level upwards. General awareness has been created on existing social rights and privileges of women by having them organized into Self-Help-Group (SHG). Economic activities and access to credit has been enhanced for uplifting the living standard of farm families. II. Methodology The study has been confined mainly to the parameter of Wokha district of Nagaland. The sampling technique adopted in this study has been based on stratified random sampling to arrive at final result based on their classified three ranges of the district. A total of 90 respondents were taken from two villages from each range with 15 respondents respectively. The sample villages are; a) Wokha Range or Upper range - Lonsachung village and Wokha village, b) Sanis Range or Middle Range – Pangti village and Moilan village and c) Bhandari Range or Lower Rang – Hankvu village and Ralan old village. III. Existing Agricultural Farming: Jhuming is the most common farming practice in the district; it is not a way of farming but is interrelated with the socio-economic condition of the people. Jhuming also called as shifting and the slash and burn method of cultivation is one of the most ancient system of farming believed to have been originated in the Neolithic period around 7000 B.C. Jhuming is a primitive agriculture practice regarded as the first step in transition from food gathering and hunting to food production. It is a traditional practice using ancient tools and implements such as spade, hoe and scrapes as the cultivated lands are steep slope marginal land. It does not bring sufficient output of production, but provides only for the family needs. Traditionally, the cycle of jhuming in the district varies between 10 to 20 years but with increased in population, the jhuming cycle is becoming shorter nowadays that revolves around 5 to 8 years. The method followed in Jhuming differs from one region to another and is not exactly the same all over the world or even various states within India. However, the essential features of jhuming are the same in the sense that forest are cleared and felling trees and burning followed by mixed planting of seeds of various crops without any soil conservation practices and finally shift to another place. There is no capital investment, except the labour and the seeds that also come free from the household. The Nagaland Jhumland act, 1974: This Act extends to the whole of Nagaland, provided that the state Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, exempt any place from the operation of the whole or part of this Act. Accrual of customary rights (section 3): A customary right to jhumland shall be established in favour of a village, or community when such village or community has enjoyed the right according to @IJAPSA-2019, All rights Reserved Page 2 International Journal of Applied and Pure Science and Agriculture (IJAPSA) Volume 05, Issue 7, [July-2019] e-ISSN: 2394-5532, p-ISSN: 2394-823X the existing local custom to cultivate or utilize such jhumland for not less than thirty years. Section 3(2) provides that any land to which customary rights have not been established according to sub-section (1) the Deputy Commissioner or the Additional Deputy Commissioner will reserve the right either to admit the customary rights on land or in consultation with the Area Council concern suggest formation of reserved forests according to rules in this regard framed under the Nagaland Forest Act, provided that the Officer concerned shall not exercise his discretion unless a public notice is issued in the Nagaland Gazette giving two months time to the village concerned. The essential features of jhuming as practiced in Wokha district are; Selection of sites before December. Clearing and slashing of sites by cutting jungles in December to January. Burning the dried twigs and leaves of trees around mid-February to mid-March. Clearing and land preparation on the fourth week of March and first week of April. Sowing of almost every crop is done in the month of April either by dibbling or broadcasting. Intercultural operation like weeding and thinning. Usually, one hand weeding is done in the month of June. Harvesting operation starts from September and continues till October. Thrashing is done during the last week of October Storing starts thrashing took place. Slashing of another patch of forest. Both men and women contribute effectively to the livelihood and food security of the households in the district. However, being patrilineal and patriarchal in nature men‟s contribution come in the form of service that are physically demanding and sessional such as slashing and burning of jhum field, construction of huts and the rest of the crop production activities right from seed selection and sowing to the harvest are mainly done by women. IV. Extent of women participation in jhuming Iftikhar et al (2007) reported that women play a vital role in crop production; they perform sowing, transplanting, weeding, harvesting and post-harvest operation such as threshing, winnowing, drying, grinding, huskig and storage; whereas in livestock production, they look after the animals and do primary medication. Moreover, they also have to perform domestic chores like cooking, cleaning the house, washing clothes, taking care of the children and fetching water and fuel. In order to determine the extent of women participation with reference to jhuming several jhuming operation were selected, viz., selection of land, Clearing of sites by cutting of jungle , burning of jhum field, field preparation, sowing, intercultural operation, harvesting, threshing, storing and marketing 4.1.