Empowering Women in Agriculture: A Study on Women's Involvement in Agricultural and Livestock Management in Rural Pakistan

This research focuses on the role of rural women in agriculture and livestock management, their involvement, and their empowerment in Tehsil Tandlianwala, District Faisalabad, Punjab, Pakistan. The study explores the role of the socio-economic environment in which women are vested with some power to participate in agricultural activities. The data was collected among 160 rural women through a quantitative survey. The results show that rural women engage in several agricultural activities, especially in livestock keeping, with high contribution when it comes to milking, feeding, and animal care. The obstacles faced by them were social structural barriers, which included patriarchy, gender norms, and limited decision-making power at the household level. The research has shown that education and household income are critical determinants of the level of women’s empowerment in agricultural decision-making. The study ends by highlighting the importance of gender-targeted policies, increasing access to training and financial credit, and cultural intervention in improving the involvement and empowerment of rural women in agriculture. Recommendations for future research include investigating the role of men in securing women’s empowerment and assessing the influence of microfinance programs on women's participation in agriculture.