Gendered time, seasonality and nutrition: Insights from two Indian districts

Nitya Rao, S. Raju

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

36 Citations (Scopus)
15 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

Some of the key pathways linking agriculture and nutrition run through women’s work, yet the evidence on these links are weak. Using time-use data from two Indian districts, this paper seeks to fill this gap. In principle, women’s agricultural work could have positive and negative implications for nutrition, through increased control over incomes or intensifying work burdens. The emerging evidence points to the nuanced ways in which social identity, seasonality, and context mediate women’s work in agriculture and consequently food intakes and feeding practices. Overall, women’s work in agriculture seems to have a negative effect on household nutrition through two pathways: lack of adequate time for care work in peak agricultural seasons, and seasonal energy deficits that adversely affect their own health. Recognition of women’s physical contributions to both agricultural production and domestic reproduction, and supporting them adequately, is central to improving nutritional outcomes.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)95-125
Number of pages31
JournalFeminist Economics
Volume26
Issue number2
Early online date15 Jul 2019
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2020

Keywords

  • Gender
  • Time
  • Seasonality
  • Nutrition
  • Energy
  • India
  • nutrition
  • time
  • seasonality
  • energy

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