Women’s share of farm workforce rises, but land access lags
Nearly 77% of rural working women are now engaged in agriculture, even as women operate only 11.72% of the farmed area in India
Women's roles in India's agriculture sector are expanding, with nearly 77% of rural working women now involved in farming, up from 57% in 2017-18. However, this increased participation does not translate into greater control over land and resources. Women only manage 11.72% of the farmed area in India, despite accounting for over 64% of the agricultural workforce.
The disparity is evident in land ownership, where women hold just 11.72% of farmed land, compared to men who control 88.28%. Women farm workers earn about 82% of what men earn in agrifood work, indicating a significant gender pay gap. The report, 'Her Harvest: The Hidden Cost of Women’s Invisible Work in Indian Agriculture,' attributes this gender gap to the migration of men to cities and the rise of non-farm employment opportunities for men.
Women's unpaid labor on family farms amounts to 47.7% of the agricultural workforce, compared to 20.2% for men. The report highlights that women's unequal access to credit, inputs, and markets creates a cycle of low incomes and limited growth potential. By closing this gap, India could potentially increase agricultural output by 2.5-4%, with women-run farms experiencing a 20-30% increase in yields.
To address these issues, the report suggests recognizing women as farmers regardless of land ownership, expanding access to collateral-light credit and warehouse-receipt finance, increasing access to drones and agricultural advisories, and building women-led farmer producer organizations (FPOs) as permanent market institutions.
Written by urgent.news from Hindu BusinessLine's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
