Figure 5.1 Short Route of Accountability Community-based Organizations (CO) Household Members (HH)
Short route
Public Sector service providers (PS) NGO/private service providers (NG)
Services Source: Authors, based on World Bank (2003).
Female-headed households appeared to be disadvantaged on several counts: they were more likely to be casual laborers than farmers, were less literate, and had fewer assets than male-headed households (see annex table 5.A.1). Nine percent of sampled households were headed by women, 19 percent of whom were literate. In contrast, 64 percent of male heads of households are literate. Whereas the dominant source of livelihood for the majority of male-headed households was agriculture, a majority of female-headed households reported casual agricultural labor as their dominant occupation. Female-headed households were significantly less likely to possess a bicycle, a motorbike, or a TV set than male-headed households. They also owned fewer livestock than maleheaded households. Agricultural Extension and Veterinary Services Among surveyed farm households, 29 percent of male-headed households and 18 percent of female-headed households reported having had at least one contact with an agricultural extension agent during the previous year (table 5.1). The visit was part of a group visit in 15 percent of the cases and an individual visit in 85 percent of the cases. About 60 percent of both male and female respondents reported being very satisfied or somewhat satisfied with the agricultural extension service (figure 5.2). There were no substantial differences between male and female respondents. Respondents from scheduled castes (SC) were more likely to be very satisfied with agricultural extension services than members of scheduled tribes (ST) or other backward classes (OBCs).1 Household respondents who were dissatisfied with agricultural extension complained mainly about infrequent visits or the absence of visits. A sizable share of households were not able to
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GENDER AND GOVERNANCE IN RURAL SERVICES