Division of Labour by Gender. Women's participation in nearly all aspects of agricultural and livestock activities is significant. Men are largely responsible for land clearing and for the cultivation of certain crops, such as wetland rice. Men also take care of the herding and watering of large animals, while the curing of skins, the processing of milk products, and the care of small ruminants and poultry is the task of women. In addition, women are responsible for household tasks, including food processing and preparation, water fetching and wood collection.
Women are also the practitioners of traditional medicine.
The increasing migration of males to the cities has resulted in heavier work loads for women. Although women in certain regions were traditionally responsible for rice cultivation, wetland rice cultivation is now largely the province of men, with women engaged mainly in irrigation, storage and marketing. In some regions, both men and women are engaged in the construction of small dams. Gender Relations in Decision-making in Farming Activities. Men of the extended families invariably make the major decisions on land transfer and agricultural investments.