Women farmers constitute a significant segment of the agricultural workforce, yet they frequently encounter challenges in balancing productive agricultural activities with domestic and caregiving responsibilities. Despite increasing scholarly attention to women's empowerment in agriculture, limited empirical research has examined the influence of family relationships on the work-life balance of women farmers. This study investigates the extent to which family support dimensions-namely spousal support, emotional support, household cooperation, and participation in decision-making-affect the work-life balance of women engaged in agriculture. Using a structured interview schedule, primary data were collected from 120 women farmers selected through random sampling from rural agricultural households. Descriptive statistics, Pearson's correlation analysis, and multiple regression techniques were employed to analyse the data. The findings reveal that a substantial proportion of respondents experience low to moderate levels of work-life balance, reflecting the challenges associated with managing dual productive and reproductive roles. Correlation results indicate significant positive associations between family relationship variables and work-life balance, with emotional support exhibiting the strongest relationship (r = 0.70, p < 0.01). Regression analysis further demonstrates that family relationship factors collectively explain 58% of the variance in work-life balance (R² = 0.58), with emotional support emerging as the most influential predictor (β = 0.35), followed by spousal support (β = 0.31), household cooperation (β = 0.28), and participation in decision-making (β = 0.24). The study contributes to the growing discourse on gender and rural livelihoods by demonstrating that supportive family environments significantly enhance women farmers' well-being, reduce work-family conflict, and improve their capacity to manage multiple responsibilities. The findings underscore the need for family-centred interventions and gender-sensitive agricultural policies aimed at strengthening social support systems, promoting shared household responsibilities, and fostering the sustainable empowerment of women in agriculture.
Dr. A. Anandhiprabha (Thu,) studied this question.