More women employed in agriculture, but half of them are unpaid

Basics

• Agriculture = backbone of Indian economy; largest employer of women.
• Women now make up 42% of India’s agricultural workforce.
• Women’s employment in agriculture surged 135% in past decade, as men moved to non-farm jobs.
• Yet, participation has not translated into higher incomes or recognition.

Relevance

• GS-1 (Society):
  ◦ Gender issues, women’s participation in rural economy.
  ◦ Social inequality, unpaid labour, empowerment gaps.
• GS-2 (Governance, Social Justice):
  ◦ Policies for women farmers, FPOs, SHGs, digital inclusion initiatives.
  ◦ Land rights, credit schemes, gender budgeting, legal recognition of women as farmers.
• GS-3 (Economy, Agriculture):
  ◦ Feminisation of agriculture, wage gaps, labour productivity.
  ◦ Agri-export potential (India–UK FTA), value chains, high-margin crops.

Current Situation

• Unpaid Labour: 1 in 3 working women is unpaid; unpaid women in agriculture rose from 23.6 million to 59.1 million in 8 years.
• Regional Inequities: Bihar & UP → >80% women in agriculture, >50% unpaid.
• Systemic Barriers:
  • Only 13–14% landholdings owned by women.
  • 20–30% wage gap vis-à-vis men.
  • Limited asset ownership, credit, decision-making power.
• Macroeconomic Picture: Despite rising participation, agriculture’s GVA share fell from 15.3% (2017-18) to 14.4% (2024-25) → feminisation reinforced inequities.

Opportunities

1. Global Trade Shifts
   1. India–UK FTA → projected 20% boost in agri exports in 3 years; >95% products duty-free.
   2. Women-heavy value chains: rice, spices, dairy, ready-to-eat foods.
   3. Export-oriented growth can transition women from labourers → entrepreneurs.
2. Value-Addition & Premium Markets
   1. High-margin areas: processing, packaging, branding, exporting.
   2. Growth sectors: tea, spices, millets, organics, superfoods.
   3. Tools: Geographical Indications (GI), branding, export standards.
3. Digital Innovations
   1. Platforms: e-NAM, mobile advisories, precision farming apps, voice-assisted tech.
   2. Formalises women’s labour + expands credit, schemes, pricing access.
   3. Examples:
      1. BHASHINI, Jugalbandi → multilingual, voice-first government access.
      2. L&T Digital Sakhi → digital literacy training for rural women.
      3. Odisha’s Swayam Sampurna FPOs, Rajasthan’s Mahila Kisan Producer Company, Assam tea-sector training.

Challenges

• Structural: Low digital literacy, language barriers, lack of devices.
• Institutional: Weak recognition of women as farmers → exclusion from schemes/loans.
• Economic: Wage gap, landlessness, invisibility of unpaid work.
• Cultural: Male dominance in decision-making, gendered stereotypes in farming roles.

Reforms & Solutions

1. Land & Labour Reforms
   1. Joint/individual land ownership for women.
   2. Legal recognition as “farmers” → eligibility for credit, insurance, government support.
2. Institutional Support
   1. Expand women-centric FPOs/SHGs with export orientation.
   2. Credit schemes, gender-responsive budgeting, targeted subsidies.
3. Digital Inclusion
   1. Subsidised smartphones/devices, local language interfaces, AI-powered advisory systems.
   2. Scale up models like Digital Sakhi, BHASHINI, Jugalbandi.
4. Trade & Value Chain Integration
   1. Embed gender provisions in FTAs (training, credit, market linkages).
   2. Promote women-led branding & GI-tagged exports.

Implications

• Structural Game-Changer: Women-led agricultural development can address both economic growth and social equity.
• Economic Potential: Unlocking women’s contributions in high-value agri chains can add significantly to exports, GVA, and rural incomes.
• Global Context: With climate change and shifting trade, resilient, inclusive, and sustainable agriculture needs women at the core.
• Governance Dimension: Recognition, legal empowerment, and digital inclusion are critical for sustainable transformation.
• Social Impact: Enhances food security, reduces poverty, empowers households, and improves child welfare (education, nutrition).

Conclusion

Women’s rising presence in agriculture must not reinforce invisibility but instead unlock transformative potential.

• Path forward: recognition, ownership, digital access, and trade-linked empowerment.
• A women-led agri model is not just about social justice; it is a strategic economic imperative for India’s global ambitions.