Published Paper Details:

Women from indigenous and grassroots communities are often also custodians of traditional knowledge, which is key for their communities' livelihoods, resilience and culture. Yet, women in rural areas face constraints in engaging in economic activities because of gender-based discrimination and social norms, disproportionate involvement in unpaid work, and unequal access to education, healthcare, property, and financial and other services. Agriculture, which is considered the backbone of economy of state, has taken a back seat due to the apathy of government policies in the last three decades. The percentage of cultivable land has come down. Meanwhile, nearly 70 percent of the population depending upon agriculture for their daily livelihood directly or indirectly is currently undergoing a transformation. The main purpose of the study is to explore the impact of Uzhavar Sandhai on farmers' standard of living. If their lifestyle has improved, then the contribution of Uzhavar Sandhai towards the same has to be revealed. Thus, the core objectives of the study are: estimation of the return or profit earned by the farmers in relation to size of farms, irrigation facilities, cost of cultivation, distance travelled, place and time of operation of US. However, we would also like to understand the inner-dynamics of the Uzhavar Sandhai. The study is confined to Coimbatore city of Tamil Nadu, covered two Uzhavar Sandhais.