From Heroines to Beneficiaries: From Beneficiaries to Heroines?: The Impact of a Small-Scale Irrigation Project on Gender in West-Bengal Terai

From Heroines to Beneficiaries: From Beneficiaries to Heroines?: The Impact of a Small-Scale Irrigation Project on Gender in West-Bengal Terai

By- Loes Schenk-Sandbergen and Niren Choudhury

The impact study in this book shows that an ‘old-fashioned’ bi-lateral (between the Indian and Dutch Government) small scale irrigation project, namely the North Bengal Terai Project, has been very successful in its Phase II. What is more important is that the impact study shows that the project contributed to the empowerment of women of marginal and small farmers’ households. The instalment of simple handpumps has improved the income and health of families and has relieved the women of household drudgery. An increase in decision-making power of women in household- and agricultural matters has been found. The accomplishments have been achieved without any involvement of (women’s) NGOs. the underlying wisdom of the success of the project is embedded in the historical context of the farm households in the project area and the autonomy, political ideology and hish gender and social awareness of the implementing government staff.

Loes Schenk-Schenk-Sandbergen is an Associate Professor at the Department of Sociology and Anthropology, Section South- and Southeast-Asia of the University of Amsterdam, where she obtained her Ph.D. in Social Science in 1975. She has published extensively or gender issues, linking them with povert and the process of empowerment. Besides, she is a consultant, in particular in gender (women) and empowerment. She did substantial anthropological research, and impact- and evaluation studies in India, Laos, Vietnam, China, Philippines and Bangladesh. Besides writing numerous articles, manuals and project reports she is the author of several books.

Niren C. Choudhury is a retired Professor in Anthropology and Rural Development of the University of North Bengal, Darjeeling. He has served many years as the director of the Anthropological Survey of West Bengal (Calcutta) of the Government of India.

ISBN  81-7304-423-6   2003   318p.   Rs.625/Pounds 50

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