Women’s Contribution to Household Food and Economic Security: A Study in Garhwal Himalayas

Shiv Narayan Sidh, Government Degree College
Sharmishtha Basu, Jawaharlal Nehru University

Issue of poverty and household food security has been at the forefront of development literature and women’s contribution towards food and economic security has been paid attention over the last one and half decade. Environmental good collection activity is entirely carried out by the women in developing countries and particularly in fragile mountain environment. The research attempt to monetise women’s unpaid work through time use survey by researchers on recall basis for past seven days. Value of women’s contribution is computed by two methods viz; opportunity cost and output method. Result shows that women are at the forefront of food and economic security and in some cases are breadwinners. Besides, women earn 1.8 times more than their male counterpart, with no leisure. Policies must address the specific problems of fodder and fuel wood by promoting renewable and non conventional energy resources and involving women as a part of grass root participation.