Paper: GS – II, Subject: Society and Social Justice, Topic: Welfare schemes, laws, mechanisms and institutions related to women, Issue: Ensuring women empowerment for food security.
Context:
The UN General Assembly declared 2026 as the International Year of the Woman Farmer. The resolution acknowledges the vital role of women in agriculture and the need to overcome challenges like land ownership and market access.
Key Highlights:
Importance of Women in Agriculture: Women contribute 60-80% of food production in developing countries and 39% of agricultural labour in South Asia.
Indian scenario of Women in Agriculture:
- Only 13% of landholders are women.
- Female land ownership: Only 8.3%.
Yet, they play a crucial role in resilient agriculture and food security.
Challenges Faced by Women Farmers:
- Lack of Ownership: Lack of land ownership limits credit and insurance access.
- Limited access: Limited access to agricultural planning, inputs, and advisory services.
- Technology & Information Gaps: Barriers to use of digital tools and agri-technology and lower access to mobile phones and market information.
- Finance & Market Access: Self-help groups and microfinance offer limited support besides insufficient loan size and investment access.
Government Interventions:
- Mahila Kisan Sashaktikaran Pariyojana (MKSP): Aims to empower women farmers through skill development and better access to resources.
- Subsidies: 50–80% subsidy on agricultural mechanisation.
- National Food Security Mission: 30% budget allocation for women farmers in most schemes.
| ENACT Project in Assam: ENACT (Enhancing Climate Adaptation of Vulnerable Communities):Jointly implemented by WFP and Government of Assam.Uses nature-based and gender-transformative approaches.It provides smallholders access to:Climate-related data, tools, and advisory services.Technology, such as solar energy and flood-resilient agriculture.Focuses on community-led, smart, climate-resilient food systems.Diversification of crops, especially local nutritious varieties. Linkages to input and market systems.Building adaptive capacity to climate change. |
Measures needed:
- Gender Lens in Policy Design: Policies must reflect specific needs of women farmers. Use granular data to drive localised strategies.
- Access to Finance & Technology: Simplify credit processes and build women-centric agri-value chains.
- Strengthen Self-Help Groups: Leverage SHGs for finance, inputs, and knowledge and promote community seed banks and agri-tech access.
- Empowerment through Resilience: Women farmers are more affected by climate risks, requiring localized solutions, participation in village-level decisions.
Conclusion:
The International Year of the Woman Farmer (2026) presents a unique opportunity to:
- Recognize and institutionalize the role of women in agriculture.
- Empower them through targeted policies, capacity building, and climate-smart solutions.
- Achieve the larger goal of sustainable and inclusive food systems.
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