Homestead farming- An avenue for women entrepreneurship in south 24 Paragans district of West Bengal, India

Due to malnutrition and severe poverty 22% of Indian population remains undernourished while 29.8% of rural population were below poverty line. Though women play a pivotal role in building the backbone of a nation’s economy but the literacy gap in India which is 65.46% for females while for males it is 82.14% (Census, 2011) prevents the empowerment of women. In rural communities livelihood is centred on agriculture and allied activities and in West Bengal almost all household possess a small piece of land in the backyard of their house therefore, there are immense, possibilities for the establishment of homestead farming systemby utilising the backyard land of the dwelling house to the year round provision of food, fodder and other household necessities. It is an integrated, farming system including horticulture, aquaculture and animal husbandryand its products including fruits, vegetables, fish, chicken and other valuable materials such as bamboo and woodare very essential from economic and ecological standpoints...read more