Lightening the workloads in paddy transplanting: A case study of Kumaon region of North-Western Himalayas, India

Paddy cultivation is highly dependent on manual labour, especially in hilly regions, where almost all agricultural operations are performed by human effort with limited use of simple tools. This reliance on manual work leads to considerable physical drudgery. Among these operations, transplanting of seedlings is the most labour-intensive, time-consuming, and drudgery-prone task, largely carried out by women farmers. The present study was undertaken to assess the workload of farm women engaged in paddy transplanting in hilly areas. Findings revealed that transplanting imposed a heavy physiological workload, with an average energy expenditure rate of 11 kJ min-1. Women also reported experiencing discomfort levels higher than moderate when performing the task manually. To address this issue, an ergonomically designed paddy transplanter was introduced and evaluated through a participatory approach. Results showed a significant reduction in drudgery, with women reporting nearly 50% less discomfort while transplanting with the improved tool compared to traditional manual methods. The study further examined the likelihood of adoption of the transplanter by exploring women farmers' perceptions of the technology. Factors such as membership in self-help groups, larger landholdings, younger age, and fewer family members engaged in farming were found to positively influence the probability of adoption. These groups of farm women may therefore be targeted for promoting the wider use of the transplanter in hill regions.