Women = Farmers ?? You read it right !!!
- Mar 26, 2023
- 3 min read
Farmer . Whenever we think of word farmer , men comes to our mind . Wait a minute but here is a little twist in this profession. Women also plays an equivalent role in farming. Surprisingly we never noticed or missed this beautiful fact.
The ones whose day starts before sunrise and continues after sunset. She is none other than " Women Farmer of India" , whose opinions often go unheard due to their gender, and who struggle to establish their identity at a grassroots level as a result of patriarchal traditions and gender stereotyping. She is not only involved in farming but also performs other responsibilities of daughter, wife , daughter in law, mother with same dedication .
My salute to all the women over there !!!
In 2023 , now trainings are being imparted to women farmers under various schemes of MoA&FW which include ATMA scheme, Cooperative Education Field Projects (NCDC) of DAC&FW; Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) of DARE, ICAR and Entrepreneurship Development and Employment Generation (EDEG) under Sub-Mission on Livestock Development of DAHD. To achieve the vision of a developing India, these voices of Women Farmer should be heard at both the policy and implementation levels.
In India, Women Farmer handle the majority of the agricultural production tasks, from sowing to harvesting, although they have less access to resources compared to men. In order to grow agriculture sector more quickly, we need to make effort to address gender gap.
Agriculture, is oxygen of the India’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and a driving force for country’s economic development, relies heavily on women as well which gives the employment opportunity to largest number of women in India. Women’s continued role in agriculture is well recognized ,well noted ,however ,they are frequently given too little credit.
Do you know ? Close to 75% of the full-time workers on Indian farms are women. It is proud moment for all the women out there in rural area .Cheers all !!!
Women are the foundation of our global food system, and they play a crucial part in establishing food production all over the world. Lets have look at this interesting fun facts
India is one of 15 countries in the world, in South Asia, Latin America and sub-Saharan Africa, where the prevalence of patriarchal traditions prevents women from enjoying equal ownership rights to property.
In India, the agricultural industry employs 80% of all economically active women; they make up 33% of the agricultural labour force and 48% of independent farmers.
85% of Women Farmer in rural India are engaged in agriculture, yet only about 13% own land. The scenario is even worse in Bihar, where just 7% of women have access to land, despite the fact that they are crucial to many agricultural activities.
The agriculture sector in Bihar is heavily feminized, with women making up 50.1% of all workers that are involved in farming. (‘Women in the informal economy of Bihar’ – ADRI)
In India, Women Farmer make up over 42% of the agricultural labour force but possess less than 2% of the country's agricultural land, according to recent numbers published by the National Council of Applied Economic Research (NCAER, 2018) and the University of Maryland.
Can you believe ? India, which has one of the greatest cattle production systems in the world, women perform more than 70% of the work.
Lets have a look about real figures ,where women's participation rate in the agricultural sectors is about 47% in tea plantations; around 47% in cotton cultivation; 45% growing oil seeds, and 39% in vegetable production.
Compared to male counterparts , studies have shown that women have less access to inputs (seeds, fertilizer, labour, and finance), critical services (training, insurance) and organized markets .
From all the above facts ,when we give a thought to double farmers income , this is incomplete without capable and skilled Women workforce. I will conclude my words by leaving a thought -
" A fundamental shift in India's rural economy that would improve the lives of millions of people will come through the empowerment of Women Farmers in the agricultural labour by ensuring equal access and opportunity"
What are your opinions ?
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