Access to agricultural technologies by rural women in Nakla upazila under Sherpur district

Abstract

The study was conducted to assess rural women's access to agricultural technologies in two villages of Nakla Upazila in Sherpur District, Bangladesh. Data were collected from 110 respondents by face-to-face interviews using a pre-tested structured interview schedule. Findings revealed that 61.8% of the respondents had medium access to agricultural technologies, with crop sector technologies being the most widely adopted. In the crop sector, water pumps, power tillers, and threshers were the most commonly accessed technologies. In fisheries, water pumps and improved feed ranked highest, while in livestock, water pumps and grass cutters were the most frequently used technologies. Despite moderate access, significant barriers included lack of credit facilities and insufficient training opportunities. Correlation analysis showed that land ownership, knowledge of agricultural technologies, extension media contact, and cosmopoliteness had a significant positive influence on access to agricultural technologies. Specific policy implications include the need for targeted interventions that improve women’s access to credit, enhance training programs, and increase availability and affordability of technologies. Additionally, policies should focus on increasing women's participation in decision-making and ensuring that extension services are more accessible to them. Addressing these issues can help close the gender gap in agricultural technology access, empowering rural women and contributing to sustainable agricultural development.

Ann. Bangladesh Agric. 28(1): 1-16