An economic analysis of female agricultural labourers in Karnataka in the post reform period

Abstract

Female work force participation rate in India has been increasing after reform period. Karnataka is leading in service sector growth which has helped women labourers. Agricultural labourers in Karnataka has more unique pattern compared to national level. The present study focuses on women agriculture labourers in Karnataka where marginal agriculture labourers has been increasing since 1991 compared to male counterpart due to globalization effect. The study evaluated female work participation rate and labour force participation in rural area where in the cohort of 1-24 age group females work participation has declined due to more enrolment ratio and education effect. The association of illiteracy rate and female agriculture labourers’ participation rate showed inverse relation and in recent years, female literacy rate slowly increasing in the rural area consequently under 25 age female person’s work participation declined. The study concludes that wage rate and education is the major factors that affect the female agriculture labour force participation in rural Karnataka.