Agricultural census 2015-16 put the no. of rural women engaged in farming at 73.2%. Women grow as much as 80% of India’s food. Nearly 75% of full time workers on Indian farms are women. Studies further reveal that women farmers’ work 3300 hours, double the 1860 hours than their male counterparts. Further of the 263 million total agricultural workers, 37% (98 million are women). Farm women perform numerous labour intensive jobs such as ploughing, weeding, hoeing, cleaning, grading and storage of the produce and all other relevant operation related to farming, livestock and other allied sectors.
Unfortunately, despite so much of contribution in a very vital sector of the economy, they have not got the recognition they deserve and seldom is their work acknowledged in the male dominated society. Only 12.8% women own land. In 2020, India ranked 112 out of 153 countries in the World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Index. They have lowest economic participation levels and opportunities as is evident from a report of World Economic Forum, 2020 where India was placed at 149 out of 153 countries. Ninety per cent of the agricultural land is transferred through inheritance and women struck as labourers generation for generation after generation.
About 52-75% of women engaged in agriculture are illiterate. Various social norms and taboos, lack of access to land, education, training and equal treatment is still a concern as it affects agricultural yield. Percentage of female farmers’ enrolled under Prime Minister Fasal Bima Yojana during 2020-21 was 15.3%. Similarly percentage of female beneficiaries under PM Kisan Samman Nidhi PMKISAN is 25.1%. Climate change also impacts women disproportionately. Farm women are also laggards when we see their participation in collective organization. A 2019 report of Aziz Premji University, there were approximately 7,374 Farmer Producer Companies (FPCs) in the country. Of this there were only 3% women FPCs. The condition is more or less same in case of FPOs also.
The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) estimates that if women had the same access to productive resources as men, they could increase yields on their farms by 20-30%, leading to higher agricultural output in developing countries and a dramatic reduction in hunger. We talk of women empowerment, but it is still a distant dream for them. Developing her skills and promoting her engagement in agri-business can be an important factor in their empowerment. It will not only give them an opportunity to be a part of an income generating group but will also lead to their socio-economic empowerment, creates jobs for others too thereby promoting the overall economic growth and well-being of their families too.
The Government of India while recognizing their important role in farm sector has initiated a host of skill and entrepreneurship development programmes for them:
Namo Drone Didi Yojana
The Namo Drone Didi scheme, recently launched by the Government of India, aims to modernize Indian agriculture and empower women-led Self-Help Groups (SHGs). Under the Yojana, drones would be provided to 15,000 Self Help Groups (SHGs) for renting them to farmers for agricultural purposes. The women from SHGs would also be given fifteen days free of cost training on how to operate these drones. The member from women self help groups would rent out the drones to others and earn a decent livelihood.
Krishi Sakhis
The programme aims to transform rural India through the empowerment of rural women as Krishi Sakhi, by imparting training and certification of Krishi Sakhis as Para-extension Workers. Krishi Sakhis are chosen as agriculture Para-extension workers because they are trusted community resource persons and experienced farmers themselves. Their deep roots in farming communities ensure they are welcomed and respected. Government will update their skills in different farming practices by providing them appropriate trainings in different aspects related to agriculture and allied sectors. After acquiring training, their potential can be used in dissemination and transfer of technologies and in promoting agri based entrepreneurship through Krishi Sakhis.
Rashtriya Mahila Kosh (RMK)
It extends micro-credit to poor and underprivileged women through a collateral-free, quasi-formal delivery mechanism where NGOs, women co-operatives, federations etc. act as intermediaries.
DAY-National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM)
The Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana-NRLM primarily focuses on formation of Self Help Groups (SHGs) with exclusive women membership for their mobilization and empowerment. A SHG usually consists of 10-20 women in plain areas and 5-20 in difficult areas. An important component of NRLM is the Mahila Kisan Sashaktikaran Pariyojana (MKSP) which aims to support women farmers’ and build their capacities in agro-ecological sustainable practices. Primarily, MKSP aims to recognize women farmers, a hitherto unrecognized category, even though most of the farming activities are almost exclusively handled by the women. MKSP also, inter alia, seeks to reduce drudgery for women farmers.
Support to Training and Employment Programme (STEP)
STEP aims to upgrade the traditional skills and knowledge of women through training besides employment, credit and market linkages in the traditional sectors of agriculture, animal husbandry, dairying, fisheries, handlooms, handicrafts, khadi and village industries, sericulture, social forestry and wasteland development for enhancing their productivity and income generation.
Annapurna
This scheme started by the government in 2000 seeks to grant a loan of rupees 50,000 to women entrepreneurs engaged in food catering business.
Mahila Coir Yojana
The Yojana aims to provide support to women engaged in the coir business by giving them training, equipment and credit support to women engaged in coir business.
Startup India
It aims to facilitate loan to the amount between 10 lakhs and 1crores to at least one woman per bank branch for setting up a green-field enterprise in manufacturing, trading or services sector. The scheme primarily targets women and individuals from SC/ST.
Mahila E-Haat
Mahila E-Haat is an initiative for meeting aspirations and needs of women entrepreneurs. It is an online marketing platform for women, where participants can display their products. It is an initiative for women across the country as a part of ‘Digital India’ and ‘Stand Up India’ initiatives.
MUDRA
Under Micro-units Development Refinance Agency (MUDRA), any woman can start a new business or scale up an existing one can avail loan. Three categories of loan are being provided under MUDRA which includes Shishu (loan up to rupees 50,000), Kishore (loan up to 5 lakhs and Tarun (loan up to 10 lakh).
Mahila Udyam Nidhi Yojana
Small Industrial Development Bank of India (SIDBI) offers this scheme Mahila Udyam Nidhi (MUN) to encourage and empower women entrepreneurs and promote women Entrepreneurship by providing financial assistance at concessional interest rates.
Udyogini scheme
The Udyogini scheme aims to foster self-reliance and empower women through economic development, offering support for self-improvement. This initiative assists aspiring female entrepreneurs by providing loans with favorable interest rates, in contrast to the exorbitant rates in the private sector, establishing a reliable lending source. Eligibility is limited to those with a family income below Rs 40,000 annually, with a focus on encouraging loans in the trade and service sector, capped at Rs 1 Lakh.
MANAGE
National Institute of Agricultural Extension Management (MANAGE), Hyderabad an autonomous institute under Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Government of India also conducts various skill trainings and entrepreneurial programmes for youths including young girls and farm women. These include Skill Training of Rural Youth (STRY), Agri-clinics and Agri-business centers scheme (ACABC), Certified Farm Advisors (CFAs), Diploma in Agri-extension services (DAESI). Many of youth including females have turned into successful entrepreneurs after upgrading their technical skills from universities and other research and training institutes under various programmes of MANAGE.
(The author writes on agriculture and social issues, can be reached at [email protected])
