Prepared by Muzna Alvi, Prapti Barooah and Shweta Gupta

1. Women’s access to
agriculture
extension amidst
COVID-19
Insights from India and
Nepal
Muzna Alvi, Prapti Barooah
and Shweta Gupta
International Food Policy
Research Institute (IFPRI)
29th August 2021

2. Background

3. Key findings
• 27% in India and 29% in Nepal reported non-
availability of regular source of agricultural
information in round 1
• Nepal: 53% felt quality of information was worse
during round 1; 62% felt it was more infrequent
compared to pre-lockdown
Impact on agriculture extension sources Impact on farm productivity
• Farm productivity suffered due to limited information
access
• India: Productivity suffered more for staple/horticulture
crops(51%) than cash crops (40%); remote districts faced
more challenges
• Major issues: India- lower yield and poor quality; Nepal-
limited availability of inputs, pest attack, lower yield
Heterogeneity of impacts
• India- Caste determines primary source of agricultural
extension
• Nepal: Level of education influences reliance on govt.
sources
• Nepal: Adverse impact on farm productivity reported less
by primary agricultural decision makers

4. Crisis-resilient
inclusive extension
• Crisis increases need for reliable and inclusive extension.
• ICT based interventions an entry point for low cost remotely delivered information
• Unequal phone access
• Heterogeneity in literacy, phone ownership and use
• Farmer field schools targeting women
• Multiple demands of women’s time
• Mobility restrictions
• Female extension workers
• Group-based extension
• SEWA, PRADAN, FECOFUN
• Community frontline workers
• Tested and successful model- Use in health and livestock
• Training and adequate compensation

5. Reference
Alvi, M., Barooah, P., Gupta, S., & Saini, S. (2021). Women’s access
to agriculture extension amidst COVID-19: Insights from Gujarat,
India and Dang, Nepal. Agricultural Systems, 188, 103035. (link)