Studying the Impact of Male Migration on Decision-Making by Women in Agriculture

Male migration from rural areas has been a regular trend in India. It has had consequential effects on rural women's decision-making. This article aims to contribute to the literature on understanding the relationship between migration and agrarian gender in Maharashtra, particularly focusing on four villages in Wai Block. The study explores the dynamics behind the changes in decision-making by women in agriculture due to male migration. The study reveals that they have been able to exercise some agency and can spend money earned through wages. Women had exercised collective action by working in groups in agricultural fields.

Introduction

Rural-to-urban migration has increased over time due to a continuous agrarian crisis. Out-migration of labor is heavily male-dominant in rural India (Srivastava, 2011; Tumbe,2015; Mueller et al. 2015; Nayyar & Kim, 2018), and continues to increase over time (Sedova& Kalkuhl, 2020). On average, about 871,266 people migrated away from rural areas in Maharashtra (Sourced from Census 2011 database). This trend poses significant implications for the women left behind in agriculture (Vepa,2005).

Existing studies show that there is a limited effect of male migration on the decision-making power of women, provided there has been some improvement in women’s agency (Mohan et al., 2022; Gartaula et al., 2010). Reasons such as patriarchal norms, mobility constraints, and inadequate information contribute to limiting women's decision-making agency (Desai & Banerji,2008; Mohan et al.). Women have followed various coping measures to deal with problems arising from male migration. Acquiring agricultural knowledge, seeking community support, and engaging in entrepreneurial skills are some of the strategies they adopted (Singh, 2018, “Male-Selective Out Migration and Decision-Making Among Females”, 2023). The effect of male migration in four villages of the Wai district of Maharashtra on women’s decision-making and coping strategies has been examined.

Women Agency in Decision Making and Coping Measures

Women in Dahyat, Vaigaon, Borgaon Bk, and Aakoshi shared that they would prefer to migrate if given the choice. However, they felt a lack of choice and were compelled to stay back to look after their family and agricultural produce. To deal with the change in household and agricultural conditions due to male migration, women adopted different mechanisms. In addition to crop pattern change, they have started group farming, wherein they work in groups to tackle labour issues. There is a notable increase in physical labour spent in the agricultural fields due to the reduction of the number of people working on farms. Although most agricultural work can be done by machines like tractors, it is difficult to obtain those machines in a timely manner.

Women have limited say in how the income from agriculture is spent. It is generally spent by the rest of the family members. Daily wage work or working in MGNREGA provides women with a little more autonomy to spend their earnings. Hence, often these rural women engage in both agricultural work for their families and in other work that gives them some agency.

Education has played an important role in terms of accessing government schemes and buying agricultural inputs. As many government schemes require online verification, those who are sufficiently educated find it easier to enrol. Education plays a crucial role in accessing information and understanding the application process for schemes. To break information asymmetry, more women need to be educated and made more aware of their rights and their stake in decision-making in the agricultural and family sphere.

Way Forward: Improving the Ground Conditions which promote women-led Activities

Ground realities observed highlight the need for context-specific actions to improve the agency of women in decision-making, particularly in response to male migration from rural areas.

Formation of Women’s Collectives :

Most women in these areas are small or marginal farmers with limited landholdings and minimal resources. Individually, they struggle to achieve economies of scale, resulting in lower yields and reduced bargaining power in the marketplace. These constraints are further compounded by a lack of technical knowledge, access to credit, and market linkages. Creating women’s collectives or self-help groups (SHGs) could be an implementable solution. When women pool their resources and coordinate production, input costs (like seeds, fertilizers, equipment) can be minimised through bulk procurement, collective marketing, enhanced ability to negotiate better prices with traders and buyers, shared learning and peer support, which boost confidence and knowledge-sharing among members.

Setting Up Village-Level Help Desks:

Many elderly and less-educated women find it difficult to understand or access government schemes meant for farmers and marginalised groups. The complexity of paperwork and lack of digital literacy are major hurdles. To bridge this gap, panchayats can play a proactive role, particularly by establishing help desks at the village level. These can offer guidance and assistance in filling out forms and understanding eligibility, acting as a liaison between women and government departments and helping women receive benefits more efficiently. Such support systems could drastically reduce the time and energy spent by women on administrative tasks and ensure that more of them are included in welfare initiatives.

Need for a Deeper Understanding: Migration and Agrarian Gender Dynamics:

While the proposed solutions are practical and timely, a deeper understanding of the changing agrarian gender dynamics caused by male out-migration is essential. Questions that need further exploration include: How does migration alter the intra-household power dynamics in rural families? Are women being recognised and formally empowered as decision-makers in agriculture? And what are the long-term implications of male absence on land ownership, inheritance, and women's mobility? Addressing these broader questions will allow for more sustainable and gender-just agricultural and rural development policies.

Conclusion

To effectively empower rural women in the context of urban migration of men, a multi-pronged and localised approach is essential. By supporting women’s collectives, facilitating access to government schemes, help desks, and deepening our understanding of the gendered impacts of migration, a more equitable and resilient rural economy could be developed.

References

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2. Gartaula, H. N., Visser, L. E., & Niehof, A. (2010). Feminisation of agriculture as an effect of male out-migration: unexpected outcomes from Jhapa District, Eastern Nepal. The International Journal of Interdisciplinary Social Sciences, 5(2), 565-578. http://www.neys-vanhoogstraten.nl/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/2010_-Gartaula-et-al._-Feminisation-of-agriculture.pdf

3. Jatav, M., Sen, S., & Jajoria, D. (2023). Male-Selective Outmigration and Decision-Making Among Females: A Case Study of Select Villages in Kumaon Himalayas of India. Journal of Asian and African Studies, 60(2), 1085-1104. https://doi.org/10.1177/00219096231186379 (Original work published 2025)

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