Plant Tissue Culture Industry and Women’s Participation: ‘Nimble Fingers’ or Docile Labor?

Abstract

Technological advancements have enabled some of the most potent sources of changes in the nature and tasks of workers in general, and of women workers in particular. Application of plant tissue culture technology, a commercially successful biotechnology, has the potential to radically alter social organization of the horticultural plant propagation process. This article examines from a gender perspective the changes brought about in plant tissue culture technology in the organization of production of horticultural plantlets. In an empirical study of the plant tissue culture industry, it was observed that biotechnological interventions have led to greater participation of women in the production process. However, women’s tasks were found to be repetitive, routine and tantamount to drudgery. Although preference for woman labor is attributed to ‘nimble fingers’, the latent motto was found to be to ensure a regular supply of cheap docile labor and to avoid the prospect of unionization.