Recognising Women Farmers in India: Legal Status, Challenges, and Solutions

Recognising Women Farmers in India: Legal Status, Challenges, and Solutions

#GS-2 #GS-3 #Governance & Social Justice #Economy #Indian Society #Issues Related to Women #Welfare Schemes #Agriculture #Social Justice #Vulnerable Sections #Government Policies & Interventions

Key takeaways

  • Maharashtra became the first state to pass the Women Farmers Empowerment Bill, 2026, offering legal farmer status through a Woman Farmer Certificate without requiring land ownership.
  • According to the PLFS 2023-24, 76.95% of rural working women engage in agriculture, yet women hold only 14% of operational land holdings per the Agricultural Census 2015-16.
  • Women currently account for only 23% of beneficiaries under the PM-KISAN scheme because government systems rely strictly on land ownership titles.
  • The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) estimates that equal resource access for women farmers could increase farm yields by 20% to 30% and reduce global hunger for 100-150 million people.
  • To solve this issue, states must de-link farmer identity from land ownership, integrate data into Agri Stack, and enforce the mandatory 30% budget allocation for women.

Why in News

  • Maharashtra recently became the first state in India to pass the Women Farmers Empowerment Bill, 2026.
  • This law grants women legal recognition as farmers through a Woman Farmer Certificate, even if they do not own land.
  • This step aligns with the United Nations declaring 2026 as the International Year of the Woman Farmer.
  • The decision highlights how official rules often exclude women working in agriculture from receiving government welfare benefits.

Summary

  • The Women Farmers Empowerment Bill, 2026 helps women overcome historical gaps in land ownership and official farmer databases.
  • Governments can advance gender equality and food security by recognizing activity-based farming, expanding credit, and integrating data into Agri Stack.

Status of Women in Indian Agriculture

  • Indian agriculture is experiencing a rapid demographic shift known as the feminisation of agriculture.
  • The Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) 2023-24 shows that 76.95% of rural working women depend on agriculture for employment.
  • Despite their work, the Agricultural Census 2015-16 reveals that women control only 14% of operational farm land.
  • Only 12.8% of women hold official legal rights over agricultural land in India.
  • Because government schemes rely strictly on land records, women make up just 23% of beneficiaries in the PM-KISAN scheme.
  • In 2025, over 41% of female farm workers worked as unpaid family helpers, compared to 20% of male workers.
  • While 63% of male farm workers operate as independent account workers, only 39% of women hold this position.
  • This sharp difference creates a massive gap between the actual work women perform and their legal recognition as farmers.

Economic Factors Driving Feminisation of Agriculture

  • Rural men frequently move to cities for better construction or factory wages, leaving farm operations entirely to women.
  • When men returned during Covid-19 lockdowns, they reclaimed key farming decisions and pushed women back into unpaid labor.
  • Landowners frequently hire women as casual laborers because patriarchal norms allow paying them 20-30% less than men.
  • Distressed small farm families often swap hired workers with unpaid female family members to protect small profits.
  • A lack of local factories and formal job training options prevents rural women from moving into non-farm employment.

Socio-Cultural Factors Driving Feminisation of Agriculture

  • Social expectations assign domestic care duties to women, keeping them tied to the village while men migrate.
  • Societies view physically demanding tasks like weeding and harvesting as domestic chores, making farm work acceptable for women.
  • Safety worries and traditional social taboos restrict women from moving to cities for independent job opportunities.
  • Traditional inheritance customs pass property down to sons, leaving women without the land needed to secure business loans.

Why Recognising Women Farmers is Crucial

  • The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) notes that equal resource access for women could raise farm yields by 20% to 30%.
  • This potential yield growth could help lift 100-150 million people out of global hunger.
  • When women gain direct control over agricultural income, they reinvest it into household health, food, and child education.
  • Women hold rich traditional knowledge regarding seed conservation, biodiversity, and healthy soil management.
  • Supporting female farmers remains essential for spreading climate-resilient practices across rural communities.

Major Challenges Faced by Women Farmers

  • Traditional inheritance customs hand land titles to men, rendering female farmers invisible in official data.
  • Without land titles to offer as collateral, women cannot easily get bank loans or Kisan Credit Cards (KCC).
  • State programs distributing subsidized seed, fertilizer, and PMFBY crop insurance reach only land title holders.
  • Most farm machines fit male physical strength, causing physical fatigue for female workers due to a lack of lighter tools.
  • Limited transportation and male-dominated APMC mandis force women to rely on middlemen who pay low prices.

India's Initiatives Related to Women Farmers

  • The Mahila Kisan Sashaktikaran Pariyojana (MKSP) under DAY-NRLM builds farming skills and boosts productivity among rural women.
  • The Krishi Sakhi Convergence Program, linked with the Lakhpati Didi drive, trains women to deliver local farming advice.
  • The Ministry of Agriculture reserves at least 30% of its central scheme funds specifically for female farmers.
  • The government actively supports women-only Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) to improve their market bargaining power.
  • The Uttar Pradesh government offers a 1% stamp duty discount when property or farm land is registered under a woman's name.

Measures to Empower Women Farmers in India

  • States must follow Maharashtra by adopting activity-based definitions and issuing Woman Farmer Certificates through Gram Sabhas.
  • Linking official woman farmer data with Agri Stack will create unified records for direct benefit transfers.
  • Banks and NABARD should accept activity-based certificates to provide collateral-free loans and Kisan Credit Cards.
  • Empowering Gram Panchayats helps integrate women's farming needs directly into Gram Panchayat Development Plans (GPDPs).
  • State governments must conduct strict annual gender audits to verify that the 30% subsidy budget reaches women.

Conclusion

  • Recognizing women as farmers without requiring land titles improves their access to credit, tools, and social welfare.
  • This reform directly supports global targets under SDG 1 (No Poverty), SDG 2 (Zero Hunger), and SDG 5 (Gender Equality).
  • As 2026 marks the International Year of the Woman Farmer, expanding activity-based recognition across India will build an inclusive rural economy.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

  • What is the Women Farmers Empowerment Bill, 2026? It is a law in Maharashtra granting legal farmer status to women through a Woman Farmer Certificate regardless of land ownership.
  • Why are women farmers left out of government schemes? Most welfare schemes identify farmers using land records, excluding women who work on family farms without land titles.
  • What is Mahila Kisan Sashaktikaran Pariyojana (MKSP)? MKSP is a program under DAY-NRLM that enhances the skills and farm output of rural women.
  • What is the Krishi Sakhi Convergence Program? This program trains rural women as local advisory providers to share agricultural knowledge across villages.
  • How does recognizing women farmers boost rural development? Connecting Woman Farmer Certificates with Agri Stack, loans, and subsidies gives women direct access to essential farm resources.