A Study on Farm Women Awareness for Climate Variability and Its Effect on Water Resources in Punjab

Abstract

The study was conducted with the aim to study the extent and level of farm women awareness about climate variability and its effect on water resources. The study was conducted in three agro-climatic zones of Punjab, India. One district from each zone was selected purposively for the investigation. A sample of 120 randomly selected farm women was interviewed. The data was analyzed using appropriate statistical tools like frequency, percentages, mean weighted scores. Majority of the farm women (>60%) are fully aware that pollution, deforestation, paddy straw burning and cultivation of paddy are the reasons for climate change. Most of them (>70%) are fully aware that increase in temperature and variation in rainfall were due to change in climate. Majority of them (80%) are fully aware that change in climate is leading to stress on water resources in Punjab and sixty per cent respondents perceived that more area under paddy cultivation was the major factor responsible for depleting groundwater. Most of the farm women (98%) were fully aware that water is wasted while performing various household tasks like washing of clothes, utensils, cleaning the floor, bathing animals with water pipes etc. The study concluded that majority of the farm women (59%) had medium level of awareness regarding reasons of climate change whereas most of them (80%) had low level of awareness regarding factors accountable for depletion of water. Ninety seven percent respondents had high level of awareness regarding wastage of water while performing household tasks. The study recommended that there is the need to evolve compatible water saving technologies, its effective extension and the enactment of proper legislation to prevent exploitation of water at household level.