Drive through rural India and you will see fields full of women, planting seedlings, transplanting, weeding. But few wonder what life is like for these women who are dependent on agriculture-based livelihoods.
80% of rural women in India are involved in agricultural livelihoods
India is an agrarian economy with about 54.6% of total workforce engaged in agricultural and allied sector activities as per Census 2011. As per the Annual Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) Report 2021-22, the estimated percentage distribution of workers at All-India level in usual status by broad industry division as per National Industrial Classification (NIC) 2008 shows that 38.1% men and 62.9% women are engaged in agriculture. Available data, and information on NITI Aayog also reveals that, in India, agriculture employs about 80% of rural women. This indicates that a higher proportion of women are involved in agricultural work compared to men.
“Different surveys have shown that 80% of agricultural work is done by women. Certain work such as transplanting and weeding, and after harvest, winnowing and threshing, are done only by women,” says Ananthoo, a food and sustainable agriculture activist based in Chennai. “But when it comes to the market or economy, they are invisibilised.”
Challenges faced by rural women
Many rural women do not have legal ownership of land, which makes it difficult for them to access credit, modern farming techniques, or government support.
“Very few women actually own land. For the tenant farmers and landless women there is no recognition or legal document. For all the women in the farm household, their name never features on the Kisan card or any document because only the man’s name is put on it. So they cannot benefit from any government schemes or receive government support such as disaster relief during times of drought or flood,” says Ananthoo, adding that the task is to include women’s name in the Kisan card or farm registry so that there is identification, which can be useful for various things.
Sheelu Francis, founder, Tamil Nadu Women’s Collective, says that one of the main challenges is that women in agriculture are not recognised as farmers. “They are considered farm labourers as they do not have land in their name. We are trying to get recognition for them as farmers so that they can get the farmer’s ID card. If they have it, then they can have access to credit,” she says.
Women also often have limited access to agricultural inputs like seeds, fertilizers, and machinery, which in turn affects their productivity and economic sustainability.
Women’s labour and contributions are also often undervalued. They are seen as helpers in the agricultural process but not as primary workers, which again plays a role in the agrarian economy. Women farm labourers, also receive lower wages than men, even for similar tasks.
According to an article women constitute nearly 33% to 50% of the agriculture labour force in India, yet their work often goes unrecognised and undervalued. The article also called for a deeper examination of the structural barriers that restrict women’s access to land, credit, technology, and policy-making platforms.
Long hours spent in the fields, along with the pressure of doing domestic work, raising children and being caregivers can also take a toll on their health. Rural women also often don’t have access to sanitation facilities. Lack of safety and sexual harassment is also faced by rural women while working in the fields.
Since rural women often face difficulties accessing loans, credit, and other financial services due to lack of collateral (mainly land) or financial literacy, they are unable to invest in farming innovations. This is also impacted by the fact that women have limited access to agricultural training and educational programmes.
Most of the tools and equipment used in agriculture are also designed to be handled by men. “We need equipment that is designed to be used by women. More research needs to go into coming up with such tools,” says Sharada Thankappan, a woman farmer in Kerala.
Cultural and social barriers also impact rural Indian women. In many rural areas, there are deep-rooted patriarchal norms that restrict women’s mobility, decision-making power, and participation in social or economic activities. They also have to juggle farm work and household responsibilities, which impacts their ability to learn or implement new farming practices.
Climate change is another factor that adversely impacts women in rural areas as they are particularly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, such as droughts, floods, and unpredictable weather patterns, all of which can severely affect agricultural yields and livelihoods.
Migration impacts rural women
“Most of the women we work with who are involved in agricultural activities in TN are agricultural coolies,” says Sheelu. Most of the able-bodied men have migrated to areas such as Tiruppur and Bengaluru in search of work and the women are left in villages to take care of young ones and older people and whatever land is available, which is usually in the husband’s name.
The collective helps women make decisions. “One of our main focus areas is getting them to shift from growing cash crops to food crops, particularly millets,” says Sheelu, adding that they also promote climate-resilient agriculture.
What the government is doing to help
The Indian government has introduced several schemes like the National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM), Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY), and Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY), which provide financial and technical support to women in agriculture. There are also other schemes that encourage women’s entrepreneurship and skill development in agriculture, such as setting up food processing units or dairy farming.
Self-Help Groups (SHGs) also provide a platform for rural women to come together, access savings and credit, and start income-generating activities. SHGs also offer rural women a chance to engage in agricultural businesses like poultry, goat farming, and organic farming, which have the potential for economic upliftment.
Some organisations and activists have launched digital literacy initiatives to help rural women enhance their agricultural practices. With the rise of digital platforms and mobile apps, rural women can access information on weather, farming techniques, and market prices provided they receive adequate training.
There have been some success stories thanks to government initiatives. According to a report, a 25-member women’s collective, the Jaiva Pachakari Krishi Group, from Thanneermukkom in Alappuzha has cultivated chemical-free veggies, including long beans, ash gourd, bitter gourd, tomatoes, okra, and green chilies among others on five acres of land at Vathyattukalari in SB Puram Ward (Ward 2) of Thanneermukkom grama panchayat.
All the members of the group, which began vegetable farming in 2023 on an experimental basis, are Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) workers and they made this possible by integrating MGNREGS with the Agriculture department’s Poshaka Samriddhi Mission, says the article. The women’s collective has now expanded farming to another 1.5 acres, where they now grow spinach, brinjal, snake gourd and cucumber.
Organic farming, agri-based enterprises offer opportunities
The growing demand for organic produce also provides rural women an opportunity to engage in organic farming, which offers better income and promotes sustainability. Women, especially in areas with a history of sustainable farming practices, can capitalize on their knowledge of natural resource management and biodiversity to promote organic and sustainable farming. Rural women can also participate in cooperative farming and farmer producer organizations (FPOs) that allow them to pool resources, share knowledge, and collectively market their products. This can increase their bargaining power in the market, reduce costs, and improve profit margins.
Rural women can also engage in agri-based enterprises like food processing, handicrafts, and herbal products. This adds value to raw agricultural products and increases income potential. For example, women can start small businesses in food processing, making jams, pickles, etc.
Since women in rural areas often have traditional knowledge about water conservation, seed saving, and sustainable farming, it can be pivotal in adapting to climate change, and women can be integral to community-level climate resilience efforts through participation in decision-making bodies and local environmental programmes.
What NGOs and activists are doing to help
Many activists and NGOs are working to ensure that rural women receive their due. Women empowerment, for instance, is one area that Smile Foundation, for instance, focuses on
The promotion of gender equality and women empowerment is a key aspect of UNDP’s Sustainable Development Goals. It involves promoting equal rights, opportunities, and access to resources for women, enabling them to make independent choices and have control over their lives. Empowered women contribute to economic growth, social progress, and sustainable development.
Smile Foundation’s women empowerment programme Swabhiman, initiated in 2005, reaches out to marginalized and socially-excluded women with interventions in nutrition, healthcare, and livelihood. The programme capacitates women through innovative community practices, empowering them to seek healthcare and bring sustainable changes in the community, while also supporting them to become aware, skilled, and financially independent. Swabhiman also actively works to create a gender equal society, actively engaging men, and boys to participate in the process of women empowerment.
