Expl Agric. (2008), volume 44, pp. 97–112 C  2008 Cambridge University Press doi:10.1017/S0014479707005923 Printed in the United Kingdom ASSESSING THE IMPACT OF PARTICIPATORY RESEARCH IN RICE BREEDING ON WOMEN FARMERS: A CASE STUDY IN EASTERN UTTAR PRADESH, INDIA By THELMA R. PARIS†, ABHA SINGH‡, AMELIA D. CUENO and V. N. SINGH§ Social Sciences Division, International Rice Research Institute, DAPO Box 7777, Metro Manila, The Philippines, ‡M/01 Neel Vihar Colony, Faizabad, Uttar Pradesh, India and §Narendra Deva University of Agricultural Technology (NDUAT), Kumarganj, Faizabad, Uttar Pradesh, India (Accepted 8 May 2007 ) SUMMARY This paper assesses farmer adoption of rice varieties and new genotypes introduced through participatory varietal selection (PVS) in villages which represent submergence- and drought/submergence-prone villages in eastern Uttar Pradesh, India. It focuses on the involvement of women farmers in participatory research for screening improved varieties for areas which suffer from abiotic stresses. It further assesses the impact on the decision-making authority (or women’s empowerment) on rice varietal choice, seed acquisition and disposal, and crop management after participating in PVS trials. It suggests strategies to empower women farmers in making sound and timely decisions on farm-related matters and to enhance their roles in accelerating the adoption of new varieties. INTRODUCTION Since the mid 1990s, there has been a growing recognition of the benefits of participatory plant breeding (PPB), particularly in marginal and diverse environments. Ashby and Lilja (2004) reviewed the efficacy of PPB compared to conventional breeding for over 150 projects. They concluded that the efficacy of PPB compared to conventional breeding was demonstrated by increasing the overall level of benefit from the programme, increased effectiveness of reaching women and the poor, improved research efficiency, varieties developed being more acceptable and adopted faster, and changed costs without lowering cost–benefit ratios (and these may improve). High adoption rates of varieties developed through PPB have been reported by many plant breeders (Monyo et al., 2001; Witcombe et al., 2002). However, Morris and Bellon (2004) stress that PPB should be seen not as an end in itself. Rather it should be seen a ‘means to an end – namely, the production of varieties that are better adapted to the needs of end users’. One of the lessons learned in participatory research is that a technology is better adapted if the user is genuinely involved in the different stages of the process rather than being simply ‘involved’ as data †Corresponding author. E-mail: t.paris@cgiar.org