Agricultural information and accessibility of women farmers are more crucial for enhancing food production. Thus, the main objectives of this research were to study the present situation of the agricultural information needs and accessibility of the women farmers in Imbulpe Divisional Secretariate (DS) Division of the country. Out of the women farmers of the study area, 238 were selected from the simple random sampling method as the sample for the study. A pre-tested, interviewer-administered questionnaire survey was used as the primary data collection method from March to July 2019. Descriptive statistics and chi-square analysis were used as the data analyzing methods. Based on the findings, women farmers showed that, they need more information regarding improved crop varieties, application of agrochemicals, new cropping systems and irrigation systems. Furthermore, most of the respondents showed that the higher level of accessibility to agricultural information on improved crop varieties. However, a lower level of agricultural information accessibility on suitable storage facilities was observed. Extension agents and successful women farmers act as their major sources of agricultural information. Furthermore, ICT equipment act as the least important agricultural information source. Age, marital status, educational level and monthly income were shown as the considerably higher associatiative variables with the agricultural information accessibility than the size of the farmland and farming experience of them. However, farmland size represented a moderate level of statistically significant positive association with the accessibility of agricultural information for the women farmers. Therefore, agricultural information accessibility can be enhanced by organizing awareness programs and extension service for the women farmers. Moreover, enhancement of accessibility for market information through the ICTs and encouragement of women farmers’ participation in the farming societies of Imbulpe area will be very important to develop the agricultural information accessibility furthermore.

Summary The role of women in the growth and development of agriculture in Sri Lanka has been increasing considerably. However, inadequate attention has been devoted to the use of information and communication technology (ICT) by Sri Lankan women farmers. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to explore the application of ICT in agriculture by women farmers in the Imbulpe Divisional Secretariat (DS) Division in Sri Lanka. The primary data used in the study were collected from a total of 230 women farmers in the study area from March to July 2019, using a pre-tested, self-administered questionnaire survey. Moreover, focus group discussions and participatory observations were also conducted. The results obtained indicate that the majority of the women farmers considered were middle-aged and married, belonging to families with 4-6 members. Most of them had received education up to a junior secondary level. Their monthly total average income was 24,000 LKR. The below mentioned ICT equipment were commonly used by the women farmers for agricultural purposes: television (51.5%), the radio (43.9%) and mobile phones (52.1%). The use of personal computers, the internet and CD/DVDs was at lower levels. Although they were found to use ICT mostly for day-to-day activities, the application of ICT in their agricultural activities was fairly low. However, most of them expressed the desire to learn about ICT. According to the regression analysis conducted, a positive and statistically significant relationship was established between the farm size and respondents’ ICT literacy. Furthermore, a positive and moderately significant relationship was found between the respondents’ educational level and ICT use. High initial costs and the lack of comprehensive knowledge about ICT equipment maintenance were the major challenges they had encountered. Admittedly, as the women farmers considered apply ICT to a certain level, their use of ICT in agriculture should be further enhanced. Therefore, supplying useful ICT equipment to Sri Lankan women farmers at concession prices, accompanied by an awareness program on the use and maintenance of such equipment, would be highly beneficial.

Women empowerment and gender equity are two significant aspects of the sustainable development of a country. As Sri Lanka is on the way towards sustainable development, this study was conducted to assess the situation of women farmers’ empowerment and food production in Rathnapura district of the country.  A sample of 300 women farmers was randomly selected for the study, from two selected Divisional Secretariat (DS) of Rathnapura district. Data was collected from a field survey using a pre-tested, self-administered questionnaire survey from April to July 2019. Empowerment was analyzed using the empowerment framework used by RAHMAN AND NAOZORE in 2007 in the study of “Women Empowerment through Participation in Aquaculture” with necessary modifications.  Data analysis was conducted using descriptive statistics, correlation analysis and multiple linear regression analysis. Results revealed that majority of the women farmers were middle aged, married and had children. Furthermore, most of them had education up to secondary level. While average family size was four, average farm size was 1.25 acres. They had around 16 years of farming experience.  The average monthly income of them was 25,000.00 LKR whereas 20% of it was from agriculture. The main sources of empowerment of women farmers were the Agrarian Service Center (55%) followed by village organizations/societies (30%) and microfinance institutions (26%). Furthermore, women empowerment index was 0.65. It is a moderate level of empowerment. However, there were women farmers under three categories of empowerment levels: low empowerment (4.1%), medium empowerment (58.5%) and high empowerment (36.1%).   Out of the socio-economic factors; age, education, family size, land size, number of training programs participated, monthly income, experience in agriculture and number of organizations participated, education and number of training programs attended had significant and positive effect for the empowerment. Accessibility of credit facilities and agricultural extension program participation showed that there was a considerable impact on food production rather than the cultivable land size and utilization of modern farming technologies for food production. Therefore, proving of timely important agricultural education and training programs, enhance awareness level of modern farming technology utilization, better micro finance programs and agricultural credit facilities will be able to enhance the empowerment level of the women farmers of this area furthermore.   JEL CODE: Q01, Q12

The study was conducted to identify the role of women farmers’ credit needs, using Imbulpe (Divisional Secretariat) DS Division in Sri Lanka. As the sample size of study 238 women farmers were selected from seven selected (Grama Niladhari) GN divisions of the study area. This study was conducted to identify the areas and level of credit needed by women farmers. And also, the agricultural credit sources of was identified. Women farmers were selected by using the simple random sampling method. Questionnaire Survey was used as the data collection method from March to July 2019. Descriptive statistics was used for the data analyzing process and the result showed that, 59.7 % of the women farmers were observed within the middle ages (40-59 years), most of them were married, and 4-5 members within their family. 64.3 % of women farmers were studied up to secondary level education. Majority of the women farmers were noted that they need credit facilities for the application of agrochemicals and fertilizers. In Addition to that, utilization of modern farming technologies, transportation & marketing of agricultural products and purchasing improved seeds & livestock related credit neediness most important for them. And also, they were showed a less interest regarding the credit neediness for pre-planting activities, irrigation facilities and harvesting activities. Most of the respondents were indicated high level of credit neediness for the application of agrochemicals and fertilizers and utilization of modern farming technologies while moderate and low level of agricultural credit neediness regarding the pre-planting activities, irrigation facilities and harvesting activities within the study area. Majority of the respondents were showed savings from the previous agricultural earnings and other family member or fellow women as their major credit sources of agricultural activities. Private money lenders act as the least important credit source for agricultural activities in the study area. JEL CODE: Q1, Q12

The study was conducted to find out female farmers’ agricultural information needs and their impact on food production, in the Imbulpe DS Division in Sri Lanka. Of the female farmers in the area, 238 were taken as the sample for the study from seven selected Grama Niladhari (GN) divisions in the area. Female farmers were selected by using a simple random sampling method from these purposively selected GN divisions. A pre-tested, interviewer-administered questionnaire survey was used as the primary data collection method from March to July 2019. Data analysis was done by using descriptive statistics and chi-square analysis. The result revealed that the majority (62.6%) of respondents were middle aged (40-59 years), married, and belonged to families with 4-5 members. Most respondents (64.3 %) had studied up to junior secondary education level. Their average farm land size is 0.84 acres and they have farming experience of about 15 years. Most of the respondents mentioned that they had obtained higher levels of information needs about improved crop varieties. In addition, female farmers reported that they moderately need information on application of agrochemicals, improved market systems and modern farming technologies. Extension agents and other female farmers act as their major sources of agricultural information and ICT equipment acts as the least important agricultural information source in this area. Moreover, there is a significant positive association between the agricultural information needs and food production. Therefore, providing necessary agricultural information and enhanced utilization of ICT tools for agricultural information sources, and encouraging female farmers to participate in farming societies will lead to enhanced food production in this area.