Women in Indian Agriculture From Invisible Labour to Economic Engines

                          Women in Indian Agriculture                From Invisible Labour to Economic Engines

This topic is highly relevant for UPSC, touching upon GS Paper I (Society), GS Paper II (Governance), GS Paper III (Economy & Agriculture), and Essay papers.

1. The Core Problem: The "Feminisation of Agriculture" without Empowerment

The article highlights a critical paradox: while women's participation in agriculture is increasing, it is not leading to their economic empowerment. Instead, it is reinforcing existing inequities.

Key Data Points (Evidence for your answers):

• Rising Participation: Women's employment in agriculture surged by 135%. They now constitute over 42% of the agricultural workforce.

• The Unpaid Labour Crisis: Nearly half of women in agriculture are unpaid family workers. Their numbers jumped from 23.6 million to 59.1 million in eight years. One in three working women in India is unpaid.

• Regional Disparities: In states like Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, over 80% of women workers are in agriculture, and over half receive no wages.

• Systemic Inequities:

  • Lack of Identity: Women are not officially recognised as "farmers."

  • Asset Poverty: They own only 13-14% of land holdings.

  • Wage Gap: They earn 20-30% less than men for equivalent work.

• Macro-Economic Impact: Despite increased female participation, agriculture's share of National Gross Value Added (GVA) fell from 15.3% (2017-18) to 14.4% (2024-25). This indicates that their work is concentrated in low-value, low-productivity tasks.

2. The Opportunity: Leveraging Trade and Technology for Inclusion

The article identifies two major forces that can transform the role of women in agriculture.

A. Trade as a Catalyst (e.g., India-U.K. FTA):

• The FTA is projected to boost Indian agricultural exports by 20%.

• It grants duty-free access to over 95% of agricultural and processed food products.

• Strategic Sectors: Many export-oriented value chains (e.g., tea, spices, millets, organic produce) employ a significant share of women.

• Opportunity: FTAs can be designed with embedded provisions for women (training, credit, market linkages) to help them transition from labourers to entrepreneurs.

B. Technology as an Enabler:

• Existing Platforms: e-NAM, mobile advisories, voice-assisted apps, and precision tools can connect women to markets, knowledge, and finance.

• Bridging the Digital Divide: Innovations like BHASHINI (govt.) and Jugalbandi (Microsoft–AI4Bharat) offer multilingual, voice-first access, crucial for women with low literacy.

• Promising Models:

  • Digital Sakhi (L&T Finance): Trains rural women in digital and financial literacy.

  • Swayam Sampurna FPOs (Odisha): Positions women at the forefront of export competitiveness.

  • Jhalawari Mahila Kisan Producer Company (Rajasthan): Uses digital tools for direct sales and branding.

3. The Way Forward: A Multi-Pronged Strategy

The article suggests a comprehensive approach involving policy, technology, and institutional reforms.

1. Legal and Policy Reforms:

• Official Recognition: Policies must recognise women as "farmers" independently.

• Land Rights: Promote joint or individual land ownership. This is the foundational step for accessing credit, insurance, and government schemes.

• Gender-Sensitive FTA Provisions: Actively include clauses for training, credit, and market linkages for women in trade agreements.

2. Economic and Value Chain Integration:

• Shift to High-Value Activities: Enable women's movement from primary cultivation to processing, packaging, branding, and exporting.

• Leverage Niche Markets: Tap into global demand for organic products, superfoods (millets), and GI-tagged products where women already have a presence.

• Support for Standards: Help women producers meet export quality and safety standards to access premium markets.

3. Technological and Institutional Bridging:

• Scale Successful Models: Replicate and scale up initiatives like Digital Sakhi and Swayam Sampurna FPOs across states.

• Collective Action: Strengthen the role of SHGs (Self-Help Groups) and FPOs (Farmer Producer Organisations) to give women collective bargaining power.

• Targeted Training: Implement multi-stakeholder training programs focusing on digital literacy, financial management, and export procedures.

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Key Takeaways for UPSC Aspirants

For Mains Answer Writing:

• Introduction: Start with the paradox of "feminisation of agriculture" without corresponding empowerment. Quote the data on rising participation and unpaid labour.

• Body:

  • Discuss the structural barriers (lack of land rights, wage gap, no official identity).

  • Elaborate on the opportunities presented by trade (FTAs) and technology (Digital India platforms).

  • Present the solutions in a structured manner: Policy Reforms + Economic Integration + Technological Enablement.

  • Cite best-practice examples (Odisha's FPOs, BHASHINI, Digital Sakhi) to strengthen your arguments.

• Conclusion: Conclude by emphasizing that empowering women in agriculture is not just a social justice issue but a strategic economic imperative for achieving India's $5 trillion economy goal and ensuring food security.

Potential Essay Topics:

• "Women's empowerment in agriculture is the key to unlocking India's true economic potential." Discuss.

• "The 'feminisation' of Indian agriculture: A trend of empowerment or exploitation?"

• "Discuss the role of technology and trade in transforming the lives of women in rural India."

Possible Questions:

• GS Paper I (Society): "Critically examine the phenomenon of 'feminisation of agriculture' in India and its socio-economic implications."

• GS Paper II (Governance): "How can government schemes and policies be better designed to officially recognise and empower women farmers in India?"

• GS Paper III (Economy): "Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) present a unique opportunity for the economic inclusion of women in Indian agriculture. Analyse."