RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SOCIO-ECONOMIC AND PARTICIPATION OF RURAL WOMEN IN PADDY CULTIVATION IN IMPHAL-WEST DISTRICT OF MANIPUR

Women plays a significant and crucial role in agricultural development and allied fields. The central role of women in any society ensures stability, progress and long-term development of a nation. Rice is the stable food of more than half of the world's populations. It is known fact that rural women historically have played and continue to play important role in rice farming activities. Considering the importance regarding the extent of participation of rural women in rice cultivation. Hence the present study was undertaken to find out the extent of participation of rural women in paddy cultivation with respect to socio-economic profile of rural women of Wangoi tehsil in Imphal- West district of Manipur. The study revealed that the relationship between participation and socio-economic profile of respondents were Education(0.295*), Mass media exposure (0.371*), Social participation(0.430*), Sources of information(0.300*), Innovative Proneness(0.478*) and Economic motivation(0.414*) are positively significant at 0.05% whereas Age(-0.164NS), Family size(0.186NS), Annual income(0.177NS) and Land holdings(-0.159NS) are positive but non-significant at 0.05% to extend of participation of the respondent respectively.