Rural Women’s Participation in Agricultural and Household Activities and Its Impact on Nutritional Status: Evidence from Telangana, India

Abstract

Background: Rural women contribute significantly to agricultural production and household management in developing countries; however, their substantial labour input does not always translate into improved nutritional outcomes. The objective of this study was to examine the relationship between rural women’s participation in agricultural and household activities and their nutritional status using the Decomposed Theory of Planned Behavior (DTPB) as the conceptual framework. Methods: The study was conducted in Mulugu district of Telangana, India, using a descriptive research design. A multi-stage sampling technique was employed to select two mandals and eight villages. A total of 120 rural women engaged in agriculture were purposively selected. Data were collected through personal interviews using a structured schedule. Participation indices were developed for agricultural and household activities, while nutritional status was assessed using Body Mass Index (BMI) and dietary adequacy indicators. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and Pearson’s correlation. Results: Most respondents (74.16%) had a medium level of participation in agricultural activities, while 73.34% showed high participation in household activities. Women were mainly involved in labour-intensive tasks such as sowing, weeding, harvesting, and post-harvest processing, with limited engagement in decision-making activities like fertilizer application, irrigation, storage, and marketing. A significant negative relationship was observed between agricultural participation and nutritional status (r = −0.339, p < 0.01), whereas household participation showed no significant association. Conclusion: Labour-intensive participation without corresponding empowerment may adversely affect women’s nutritional status due to increased workload and time poverty. Policies should promote labour-saving technologies, enhance women’s access to resources and decision-making, and integrate nutrition-sensitive interventions to improve outcomes.