Answer

Women farmers in India play a critical role, forming about 80% of the agricultural workforce, yet own only 14% of land, reflecting significant gender inequality. The United Nations General Assembly has declared 2026 as the International Year of the Woman Farmer, underscoring their vital contribution to food security.

Socio-Economic Challenges Faced by Women Farmers

• Limited Land Ownership: Only 14% of landowners in India are women, despite their substantial agricultural participation, restricting their access to credit and decision-making.
• Restricted Access to Credit and Technology: Women face limited access to institutional credit and agricultural technology, hindering investments and adoption of improved practices.
  Eg.: Only about 11% of rural women access institutional credit (ORF), slowing productivity enhancements.
• Climate Change Vulnerability: Increased climate risks add to women’s domestic burdens and agricultural challenges, intensifying their vulnerability.
  Eg.: The Enhancing Climate Adaptation of Vulnerable Communities through Nature-based Solutions and Gender-Transformative Approaches (ENACT ) project supported by the World Food Programme (WFP ) in Assam empowers women with climate advisories to improve resilience against floods and droughts.
• Cultural and Social Barriers: Traditional norms confine women to unpaid labor roles, marginalizing their contributions and excluding them from support services.
• Low Participation in Cooperatives: Female involvement in cooperatives remains low, limiting their collective bargaining and market access opportunities.
  Eg.: Despite success stories like SEWA, only a small fraction of women farmers participate in cooperatives.

National and International Initiatives to Empower Women in Agriculture

National Initiatives

• Mahila Kisan Sashaktikaran Pariyojana (MKSP): Under DAY-NRLM, MKSP offers skill development and subsidizes machinery to empower women in agriculture.
• Sub-Mission on Agricultural Mechanisation: Provides subsidies for women farmers to adopt modern agricultural machinery, increasing efficiency.
• National Food Security Mission (NFSM): Allocates 30% of its budget specifically to women farmers to boost food production and income.

International Initiatives

• United Nations’ International Year of the Woman Farmer 2026: Recognizes women’s contribution to nearly half of the global food supply and promotes gender equality in agriculture.
• La Vía Campesina: La Via Campesina unites South Asian women peasants to demand rights, gender justice, and reject patriarchal systems in agriculture.
• International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD): Supports projects enhancing women farmers’ productivity and food security worldwide.

Way Forward

• Strengthen Land Rights for Women: Prioritize legal reforms to secure women’s ownership and inheritance rights, improving access to credit.
• Expand Financial Inclusion: Increase women’s access to institutional credit and financial literacy tailored to agricultural needs.
• Climate Resilience Programs: Scale initiatives like the ENACT project nationwide to support women with climate-smart agricultural information.
  Eg.: Flood-resistant crop varieties and diversified livelihoods should be promoted.
• Promote Gender-Sensitive Agricultural Policies: Design policies using gender-disaggregated data to meet women farmers’ unique requirements.
• Increase Women’s Representation in Decision-Making: Ensure women’s participation in agricultural committees, cooperatives, and policymaking bodies.

Women farmers are vital to India’s agricultural sustainability and food security. Empowering them through secured land rights, improved financial access, climate resilience, gender-sensitive policies, and increased participation can transform agriculture, fostering inclusive growth and resilience in the sector.

DOWNLOAD PDF