Feminisation of Agriculture: Key Drivers, Significance & Challenges

• Women make up over 33% of India’s agricultural workforce and perform 70% of food production tasks, yet lack access to land, credit, & technology. Empowering them is crucial for food security & productivity. UN’s 2026 declaration as the International Year of the Woman Farmer emphasises this imperative.

Women’s Participation in Agriculture

Current Facts and Data

• Rising Female Participation: As per Periodic labour force survey (PLFS) 2023-24, 76.95% of rural women are engaged in agriculture.
  • 33% of agricultural workers and ~50% of self-employed farmers are women.
• Agriculture Census 2015-16: 73% of rural women are involved in farming and allied sectors.
• Low Land Ownership: Only 12.8% of operational land holdings are owned by women, which constitutes 10.34% of the area of holdings.
• Rural Female Labour Force Participation Rate (FLPR): FLPR rose from 41.5% in 2022-23 to 47.6% in 2023-24, largely due to male out-migration.
• Shift in Women’s Roles: In Andhra Pradesh, women-led Self-Help Groups (SHGs) are engaging in organic farming and direct marketing, indicating a move from labourers to farm managers.

Key Drivers of Feminisation of Agriculture

• Male Out-Migration: 2011 Census indicated 33.7% of rural males migrate for better job opportunities, leaving women to manage farms.
• Economic Transformation: Decline of agricultural employment and growth in industry/services has drawn men away, as seen in Punjab with mechanisation and contract farming.
• Economic Distress: In Odisha, women turn to subsistence farming and animal husbandry due to a lack of alternative jobs and income sources.
• Rural Distress: Declining agricultural production, higher input costs, and climate change have worsened rural economic conditions, forcing women to step into agriculture.

Significance of Women’s Empowerment in Agriculture

• Role in Food Security: Women contribute to 60–80% of food production in developing countries. Nearly half of the global food supply depends on women farmers.
• Knowledge Holders: Preserve and transmit indigenous knowledge on seed selection, soil health, herbal medicine, and water management.
• Sustainable Practices: Women tend to adopt eco-friendly, regenerative agriculture due to focus on family nutrition and local resilience.
• Strengthened Decision-Making: Empowering women in agriculture boosts their participation in decision-making, increasing their agency over household and agricultural matters.
• Improved Livelihoods: Access to land and credit can help women secure a better livelihood, reducing poverty and economic dependency.

How does Climate Change Impact Women’s Involvement in Agriculture?

• Economic Vulnerability: Reduced crop yields due to climate shocks lead to income loss, increasing household and caregiving burdens on women.
  • In Bundelkhand, recurring droughts forced many women to migrate for daily-wage work as agriculture became unsustainable.
• Resource Access: Lack of land ownership prevents women from accessing credit, insurance, and climate-resilient farming schemes. Equal access to resources could boost women’s farm yields by 20–30% (FAO).
• Water Scarcity: Declining groundwater levels force women to walk long distances for water, thereby reducing the time available for farming. E.g. In Rajasthan, women walk several kilometres daily to fetch water for irrigation.

Challenges to Empowering Women in Agriculture

• Low Land Ownership: Only 13.96% of women own farmland, which limits their access to resources and decision-making.
• Limited Credit Access: Lack of collateral restricts women’s access to formal finance and crop insurance.
• Technology and Training Gap: Women receive less than 20% of agricultural extension services, limiting the uptake of innovation.
• Unpaid Labour: Over 70% of women’s farm work is unpaid and unrecognised.
• Policy Exclusion: Land-linked schemes often bypass women, who lack formal recognition as farmers.
• Market Access Barriers: Mobility, literacy, & ownership constraints limit women’s access to value chains.

Way Forward

• Financial Inclusion: Expand access to microcredit, crop insurance, and formal banking for women farmers. Secure women’s rights to land ownership, irrigation tools, and water-saving technologies.
• Policy Reforms: Incorporate gender-disaggregated data into agricultural planning and scheme implementation. Push for land tenure reforms to legally recognise women’s land rights.
• SHGs & Women-Led Value Chains: Support women-led agricultural value chains, processing units, and market linkages. Build capacity in cooperatives and collectives to achieve economies of scale.
• Social Security Net: Ensure universal social protection, including maternity support, pensions, and disaster relief, to offset climate-related and caregiving burdens.

Empowering women in agriculture is crucial for achieving food security & inclusive growth. Government schemes, such as MKSP, and global recognition through the UN’s 2026 declaration reinforce this goal. As M.S. Swaminathan said, “Somewhere between farmer’s field and dinner table, women hold the key to food security.”

Reference: The Hindu

PMF IAS Pathfinder for Mains – Question 240

Q. The UN’s declaration of 2026 as the International Year of the Woman Farmer highlights the need to empower women in agriculture. Discuss key barriers and suggest strategies for inclusive agricultural growth in India. (150 Words) (10 Marks)

Approach

• Introduction: Write the current status of women in agriculture by mentioning data.
• Body: Discuss key barriers and suggest strategies for inclusive agricultural growth in India.
• Conclusion: Emphasises the importance of empowering women in agriculture for equitable, resilient, and sustainable rural development.