DRUDGERY REDUCTION OF FARM WOMEN OF ODISHA BY IMPROVED SERRATED SICKLE

In the present study the existing serrated sickle used by the farm women in the agricultural sector of khorda district in Odisha (India), was further modified & improved considering the anthropometric dimensions and ergonomic aspects. And further analysis for drudgery reduction was done considering the local, existing serrated and improved serrated sickle for paddy harvesting. The average age, weight, and body mass index (BMI) of all the selected 10 farm women were found to be 32.6 years, 55.9 Kg and 0.0022 Kg/m2 , respectively. The average increase in energy expenditure was 234 KJ/min using plain sickle, 210 KJ/min using existing serrated sickle, and 195.36 KJ/min by using the improve serrated sickle. Also, the increase in heart rate (∆HR) and the increase in oxygen consumption rate (∆OCR) were 24.5, 22.2, 20.5 beats/min and 0.28, 0.25, 0.23 L/min, respectively. The reduction in drudgery by the use of improved serrated sickle was 16.51 % as compared to the plain sickle and 6.97 % as compared to the existing serrated sickle, respectively. Also, it was observed that ‘height' & ‘weight' with ‘age', and ‘weight' with ‘height' was positively correlated and significant at p<0.01. Similarly, ‘oxygen consumption rate in working' with ‘heart rate in working', ‘increase in oxygen consumption rate' and ‘increase in energy expenditure' with ‘increase in heart rate', and also ‘increase in energy expenditure' with ‘increase in oxygen consumption rate', were positively & highly correlated and significant at p<0.01. Further the SWOT analysis was used and women farmers' opinions were obtained to evaluate the improved serrated sickle intended for harvesting of crops.