Rural Sri Lankan Women in Agriculture: Participation and recognition in sustainable agricultural livelihoods across their life course

With: Mr Balasingham Skanthakumar, Social Scientists Association Dr Pradeep Peiris, Social Scientists Association Mr Shashik Silva, Social Scientists Association Thiyagi Piyadasa, Oxfam Buddhima Padmasiri, Open University This report contains preliminary findings from a survey of 2093 women and 66 in-depth life narrative interviews carried out between 2014-2016. Our purpose was to generate insight and evidence to inform policy and advocacy, and to enhance more equitable participation and recognition of rural Sri Lankan women in agriculture. The study examined how rural women in the Hambantota, Polonnaruwa and Ampara districts in post-war Sri Lanka participated in agricultural livelihoods (food crops, paddy, livestock) throughout their life course, from childhood to the time of the study. It summarises the barriers women from multiple ethnic, religious and age groups faced in participating, and the facilitators that enabled them to participate in agricultural livelihoods. Uniquely, the study emphasised women’s participation contextualised against the social, political and institutional interactions within the broader political economy.