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Rural women in Bangladesh are responsible for most of the hard work in and around the homestead, yet their work is seldom recognized as part of agriculture. But a woman from a small village in Bangladesh is proving that she is capable of contributing to household food security through improved farming practices.
elina Akter lives in Sajiali Village of Jessore Sadar in Bangladesh. Like most women in her village, she was involved in some agricultural production activities from seed selection to harvesting and storageand in managing livestock. Despite their contributions, local women depend heavily on their husbands (or other adult male family members) because the men make all the decisions in any income-generating activity. In 2011, however, Selinas role changed. Early that year, Selinas husband, Mohammad Yarab Ali, decided to migrate to a nearby town to work as a laborer. Her husbands decision, although not easy, was necessary. The income from their small farm was so scant they could
hardly afford to eat three meals a day. The couple have a son who is in college, and they were determined to see him graduate despite the high cost of education. When her husband left their family farm to work, Selina stepped up to responsibilities that were new to women like her. She became the sole decision-maker in agriculture matters.
Women in motion
Selina Akter checks the condition of seeds before sealing the IRRI Super Bag.
Women in motion