Gender Wage Disparities in Agricultural Labour Markets: Evidence from Uttar Pradesh, India
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.54741/SSJAR/6.2.2026.353Keywords:
gender wage gap, agricultural labour, wage inequality, labour force participation, uttar pradesh, PLFS, rural labour marketAbstract
Gender wage disparities remain a persistent feature of agricultural labour markets in developing economies. In India, agriculture provides employment to a large share of the rural workforce, particularly women. This study examines gender wage differences among agricultural wage labourers aged 15–59 years in Uttar Pradesh using recent rounds of the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) and Agricultural Wages in India (AWI). Labour force participation rates (LFPR) and average daily wages were analysed to assess trends and gaps. The LFPR gap between men and women declined from 58.7% in 2019–20 to 42.2% in 2023–24, while the gender wage gap decreased from 7.7% to 5.9% over the same period. Despite improvements, women continue to earn less than men due to occupational segregation and structural inequalities in rural labour markets. The study highlights the need for policies promoting equal wages, skill development, and diversified employment opportunities to reduce gender disparities in agricultural work.
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