Constraints Faced by Farm Women in Post-harvest Grain Management Practicesin Rural Jharkhand, India

Rohan Prasad  Gupta; Kalyan Ghadei; Prashish Singh; Saikat  Maji; Sushree Purabi  Panigrahi

doi:10.48165/IJEE.2026.624RN04

Authors

Rohan Prasad Gupta Research Scholar, Department of Extension Education, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India
Kalyan Ghadei Professor and Head, Department of Extension Education, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India
Prashish Singh Teacher on Honorarium Basis, Department of Extension Education, College of Agriculture, Jawaharlal Nehru Krishi Vishwa Vidyalaya, Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, India
Saikat Maji 4Assistant Professor, Department of Extension Education, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India
Sushree Purabi Panigrahi Assistant Professor, Agricultural Extension, DRIEMS University, Odisha, India

https://doi.org/10.48165/IJEE.2026.624RN04

Keywords:

Farm women; Garrett ranking; Grain storage; Post-harvest management; Storage pests; Women extension

Abstract

The study was conducted during 2023 in Deoghar district of Jharkhand to identify and rank constraints faced by farm women in post-harvest grain management. A descriptive research design was used. Mohanpur and Madhupur blocks were selected randomly; two panchayats from each block and two villages from each panchayat were selected through the lottery method. Fifteen farm women directly involved in post-harvest grain handling were selected randomly from each village, making a sample of 120 respondents. Data were collected through personal interview using a pre-tested semi-structured schedule. Nine constraints were ranked by respondents and analysed through Garrett's ranking technique. Lack of knowledge about management of storage insects and pests ranked first with a Garrett mean score of 73.13. It was followed by lack of knowledge of moisture and temperature during storage (62.82), lack of post-harvest management knowledge among women (59.43) and limited reach to government schemes (55.93). The findings indicate that technical knowledge and institutional access were more serious constraints than time scarcity. Women-centred demonstrations on storage pest diagnosis, moisture control, safe stacking, storage sanitation and scheme linkage are needed to reduce grain losses.

Author Biographies

Rohan Prasad Gupta, Research Scholar, Department of Extension Education, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India

Research Scholar, Department of Extension Education, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India
Kalyan Ghadei, Professor and Head, Department of Extension Education, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India

Professor and Head, Department of Extension Education, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India
Prashish Singh, Teacher on Honorarium Basis, Department of Extension Education, College of Agriculture, Jawaharlal Nehru Krishi Vishwa Vidyalaya, Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, India

Teacher on Honorarium Basis, Department of Extension Education, College of Agriculture, Jawaharlal Nehru Krishi Vishwa Vidyalaya, Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, India
Saikat Maji, 4Assistant Professor, Department of Extension Education, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India

⁴Assistant Professor, Department of Extension Education, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India
Sushree Purabi Panigrahi, Assistant Professor, Agricultural Extension, DRIEMS University, Odisha, India

Assistant Professor, Agricultural Extension, DRIEMS University, Odisha, India

References

Bahubalendra, S., Mishra, B., Jayasingh, D. K., & Anand, A. (2025). Barriers hindering tribal farm women's access to agri-allied information. Indian Journal of Extension Education, 61(3), 118-122. https://doi.org/10.48165/IJEE.2025.613RN02

Bradford, K. J., Dahal, P., Van Asbrouck, J., Kunusoth, K., Bello, P., Thompson, J., & Wu, F. (2018). The dry chain: Reducing postharvest losses and improving food safety in humid climates. Trends in Food Science & Technology, 71, 84-93. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tifs.2017.11.002

Dutta, P., Baruah, A., & Deka, N. (2018). A study on post harvest losses in pulses in Nagaon district of Assam. Indian Journal of Economics and Development, 14(1), 191-194.

Garrett, H. E., & Woodworth, R. S. (1969). Statistics in psychology and education. Vakils, Feffer and Simons.

Godara, S., Bana, R.S., Godara, S., Bishnoi, S., Nain, M. S., Parsad, R., & Marwaha, S. (2024). Data-driven insights for agricultural extension services in Rajasthan: A study of Kisan Call Center queries. Indian Journal of Extension Education, 60(1), 53-58. https://doi.org/10.48165/IJEE.2024.60110

Gupta, R. P., Ghadei, K., & Panigrahi, S. P. (2024). Women's involvement pattern in grain management activities in Deoghar district of Jharkhand. Indian Journal of Extension Education, 60(2), 22-26. https://doi.org/10.48165/IJEE.2024.60204

Hengsdijk, H., & de Boer, W. J. (2017). Post-harvest management and post-harvest losses of cereals in Ethiopia. Food Security, 9(5), 945-958. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12571-017-0714-y

Hubert, C., Nyabicha, J., & Ouma, J. O. (2016). The use of hermetic bags for on farm storage of grains and pulses against insect pests. Outlooks on Pest Management, 27(5), 231-235. https://doi.org/10.1564/v27_oct_11

Kabir, M. H., Afroz, S., Alam, M. M., & Rahman, M. S. (2023). Rural women's attitude and involvement in post-harvest processing of vegetables. Journal of Animal & Plant Sciences, 33(2). https://doi.org/10.36899/JAPS.2023.2.0622

Kumar, D., & Kalita, P. (2017). Reducing postharvest losses during storage of grain crops to strengthen food security in developing countries. Foods, 6(1), Article 8. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods6010008

Kumari, A., Jirli, B., Singh, P., & Roy, P. (2024). Assessing the utility of Agri Clinic and Agricultural Business Center training contents for agripreneurs. Indian Journal of Extension Education, 60(1), 20-24. https://doi.org/10.48165/IJEE.2024.60104

Kumari, A. R. (2018). Role of farm women in agriculture and their involvement in decision making: A study in Deoria district of Uttar Pradesh. Journal of Pharmacognosy and Phytochemistry, 7(1S), 1249-1253.

Mobolade, A. J., Bunindro, N., Sahoo, D., & Rajashekar, Y. (2019). Traditional methods of food grains preservation and storage in Nigeria and India. Annals of Agricultural Sciences, 64(2), 196-205. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aoas.2019.12.003

Muthukumar, R., Sindhuja, R., & Jayasankar, R. (2020). Constraints faced by the paddy growers in adopting the post-harvest technologies. Plant Archives, 20(2), 3789-3790.

Nain, M. S., & Kumar, P. (2010). A study of women participation and decision making in farm management. Journal of Community Mobilization and Sustainable Development, 5(1), 67-71.

Nain, M. S., & Singh, R. (2015). Good agricultural practices. Indian Farming, 65(5), 21-25.

Nordhagen, S. (2021). Gender equity and reduction of post-harvest losses in agricultural value chains (GAIN Working Paper No. 20). Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition. https://doi.org/10.36072/wp.20

Roy, P., Maji, S., Jirli, B., Singh, P., & Nain, M. S. (2024). Scopus-indexed Indian Journal of Extension Education: Crafting an improvement strategy through altmetric and bibliometric analysis. Indian Journal of Extension Education, 60(2), 1-10. https://doi.org/10.48165/IJEE.2024.60201

Saikia, P., Deka, M. B., & Saikia, R. M. (2020). Gender role in post harvest activities: A study in Assam. International Journal of Management, 11(12), 1175-1181.

Singh, P., Chowdhary, S., Roy, P., & Singh, A. K. (2026b). Construction and validation of knowledge test on indigenous technical knowledge practices. Indian Journal of Extension Education, 62(3), 279-284. https://doi.org/10.48165/IJEE.2026.623RT02

Singh, P., Ghadei, K., Roy, S., Halder, J., Kumari, J., & Paliwal, H. (2025). Development and standardization of scale to measure vegetable growers' attitude towards safety measures in pesticide application. Indian Journal of Extension Education, 61(4), 185-189. https://doi.org/10.48165/IJEE.2025.614RT06

Singh, P., Ghadei, K., Roy, S., Halder, J., Kumari, J., & Shukla, G. (2026a). Construction and validation of a knowledge test on pesticide safety for vegetable growers. Indian Journal of Extension Education, 62(1), 182-188. https://doi.org/10.48165/IJEE.2026.621RT08

Singh, S., Singh, A. K., Singh, P., & Roy, P. (2024). Perception of e-learning among Banaras Hindu University students: A comprehensive analysis. Indian Journal of Extension Education, 60(2), 43-46. https://doi.org/10.48165/IJEE.2024.60208

Tiwari, S., Kadian, K. S., Meena, H. R., Nain, M. S., Mukherjee, S., & Ranjan, A. (2023). Farmers' awareness of agricultural schemes under Saansad Adarsh Gram Yojana in Varanasi (UP). Indian Journal of Extension Education, 59(2), 84-87. https://doi.org/10.48165/IJEE.2023.59218

Vijayan, B., Nain, M. S., Singh, R., & Kumbhare, N. V. (2022). Knowledge test for extension personnel on National Food Security Mission. Indian Journal of Extension Education, 58(2), 191-194. https://doi.org/10.48165/IJEE.2022.58246

Vijayan, B., Nain, M. S., Singh, R., Kumbhare, N. V., & Kademani, S. B. (2023). Knowledge test for extension personnel on Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana. Indian Journal of Extension Education, 59(1), 131-134. https://doi.org/10.48165/IJEE.2023.59127

Warshini, A., Doharey, R. K., Meena, N. R., Verma, A., Yadav, V., & Dixit, A. (2025). Garrett ranking of constraints and satisfaction of makhana (Euryale ferox) growers in Bihar. Indian Journal of Extension Education, 61(3), 128-131. https://doi.org/10.48165/IJEE.2025.613RN04

Vishwakarma, R. K., Jha, S. N., Dixit, A. K., Kaur, A., Rai, A., & Ahmed, T. (2019). Assessment of harvest and post-harvest losses of major pulses in India. Agricultural Economics Research Review, 32(2), 247-258. https://doi.org/10.5958/0974-0279.2019.00036.3