ifoam'96 Book of Abstracts 11th IFOAM Scientific Conference 11-15 August 1996, Copenhagen, Denmark

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Workshop

Women's Participation in Traditional Agriculture in Iran W15

College of Agriculture, Ferdowsi University,Mashhad, 91775-1163 Iran

It has been argued that in developing countries, without considering the women's production role in agriculture, development is not meaningful. Although women provide a major part of labour force in agriculture and contribute in GNP, they are invisible labour force in agricultural economy. For instance in Iranian traditional agriculture, women's contribution in providing labour force is 60 - 70% in rice, 90% in vegetable, 50% in cotton and oil crops, 30% in orchards and 90% in silk worm production. In the northern part of the country, women provide 80% of labour work for transplanting, 48% for harvesting and 30% for threshing activites of rice. In the case of nomadic tribe the role of women in food processing, animal handling and handcraft is far more than those in the cropping sector of the country.

Lahsaii Zadeh, A. 1995. Sociological investigation on the role of women in Iranian agriculture. Agriculture Economy and Development. Special issue on the role of women in agriculture 64 -80.

Sarhadi, F., N. Motia and F. Ehsani. 1994. Role of rural women in development. Agriculture Economy and Development. No.6.128-144

Staditalab, J. 1995. Iranian women farmers in development plans. Agriculture Economy and Development. Special issue on the role of women in agriculture. 29 - 47.