Women play a crucial role in agricultural production; however, their involvement in farm-level decision-making remains uneven across regions and activities. The present study examines the extent and determinants of women’s participation in farm decision-making activities in Jammu and Kashmir using the Participation Decision Index (PDI). Primary data were collected from 240 farm women across six districts representing different agro-climatic zones. Women’s participation was assessed across fifteen farm decision-making activities using weighted mean scores, while overall participation levels were categorized using the PDI. Multiple linear regression analysis was employed to identify factors influencing participation.
The results indicate that women participated in all farm decision-making activities, with relatively higher involvement in livestock-related and operational decisions, particularly purchase and sale of animals, sowing practices, irrigation, and harvesting. Lower participation was observed in financial decisions, especially farm credit. The overall PDI value was 88.47, reflecting a high level of participation, with 91.67 per cent of respondents falling in the high participation category. District-wise analysis revealed consistently high mean PDI values across all districts, indicating minimal spatial variation. Regression analysis identified education as the only variable exerting a statistically significant positive influence on women’s participation in farm decision-making.
The study highlights the importance of educational empowerment in strengthening women’s role in agricultural decision-making and underscores the need for policies that enhance women’s capacity in financial and institutional domains.
