Abstract

Sri Lankan households depend on backyard poultry production for both income and nutrition. The main objective of this study is to explore gender roles associated with backyard poultry farming in Sri Lanka based on region, ethnicity, and the key practices which influence health risks. The study employed primary data collected through semi-structured interviews and field observations and secondary data from reports published in Sri Lanka. Backyard farms in Northern (N), North Western (NW), and Eastern (E) provinces were selected using snowball sampling as those three consist of the highest number of registered backyard farms in Sri Lanka. Fifteen female and fifteen male interviewees from twenty-six farms were interviewed while thematic analysis was done through MAXQDA software. This qualitative study found that backyard farms exhibit a significant gender-based division of labour in North Western and Eastern provinces. Men perform heavy work, while women perform daily caregiving tasks. In the Northern Province Tamil women perform strenuous tasks and demonstrate independence in decision-making and management. Considerable reliance on traditional treatment methods, and informal purchasing of medicine over the counter, in the case of birds’ illnesses were prevalent. The results suggest that the gendered division of labour is prominent among Sinhala and Muslim communities whereas Tamil women are independent due to their pre-exposure to war and hardship. However, hygienic practices were poor regardless of gender or ethnicity in all three provinces. In conclusion, there is a visible gender division of labour within the backyard poultry system in Sri Lanka, with associated higher health risks.

Keywords: Empowerment, Gender, Hygiene, Labour, Poultry