Feminization
of Agriculture: Supporting Legal and Social Infrastructure for Women in Farming
Women who work in agriculture struggle with social, economic, and legal
injustices. They are consequently most susceptible to the catastrophic repercussions
of climate change. This also places them, albeit out of necessity, among the
most resilient, proactive responders to environmental catastrophes. Women may
lead and bring about interventions and adaptations to combat climate change, as
several instances from all around India have shown.
Considering that a large
portion of economically active women in India works in the agricultural sector,
which accounts for 71 percent of the country's GDP, the majority of the
country's duties fall on Indian women. More men are leaving farms and moving to
cities as a result of the agrarian crisis. This indicates that women are
increasingly receiving farms in India. This is referred to as the
"feminization" of the farm industry in the Economic Survey 2017–18.
In addition to being more
prevalent, female farmers are important due to their ability to communicate
quickly. Collective action by women is easier, and women's community organizations
like the State Rural Livelihood Missions (ROMs) or self-help groups (SHGs) that
already exist can be used to engage more women and increase access to
agricultural expertise.
Information access is
especially beneficial for the agriculture extension system. According to
research, joining an SHG improves women's access to information and
participation in agricultural choices, but it has a relatively small overall
impact on agricultural practices or results.
Financial limitations,
social expectations, the domestic responsibilities of women, and their lack of
influence in decision-making are all factors that contribute to this. SHGs
might educate women, but what good is knowledge if it doesn't lead to desired
results?
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Women in agriculture: land ownership,
policy, and a gender perspective
Government and
non-government organisations have launched a variety of interventions to
connect with farmers at the ground level. The Marathwada region of Maharashtra
experienced a prolonged period of drought from 2012 to 2016, which led to crop
failure, groundwater depletion, and food shortages. This is one commonly cited
example.
The "Women-led
climate-resilient farming model" (WCRF), created by the Swayam Shikshan
Prayog (SSP), is a multifaceted farming strategy. It repositions women as
farmers and information carriers, empowering them to decide what crops to
cultivate, what to eat, and how much to sell. This strategy encouraged women to
engage in sustainable agriculture and assisted them in providing food and
income for their families. The 25 per cent boost in agricultural yield that
resulted from this strategy's effectiveness translated into significant annual
savings for each household.
The Agricultural
Technology Management Agency (ATMA) programme is one of the numerous
agriculture-based government-supported programmes that help farmers by bridging
the gaps in technology adoption. One of its goals is to "Address gender
issues by gathering and grouping women farmers into groups and providing them
with advanced training." Numerous success stories related to the scheme
have been compiled.
The empowerment of
society and the economy is a theme in these tales. But the difficulties that
women farmers typically encounter are numerous. Until they are
institutionalised, the piecemeal initiatives could not have much of an impact.
The lack of women's rights over their lands greatly restricts women's ability
to participate effectively in policy and legal institutions, making this one of
the most crucial factors.
In India, more than 75 per
cent of women make a living as farmers, a much larger proportion than for men,
making agriculture largely a female occupation. Ironically, women own less than
13% of the land in India. According to the agri-census 2015–16, even among
women who do own land, close to 90% of such holdings fall under the category of
small and marginal holdings. Despite the Hindu Succession Act, which was passed
in 2005 and permits daughters to inherit estates, its execution is still
lacking.
Women lack autonomy
without land. Without a title, female farmers are not eligible for government
seed, irrigation, fertiliser subsidies or credit schemes. They are unable to
obtain loans and don't make investments to raise yields. These female farmers
are likewise unable to produce in huge quantities and take advantage of
economies of scale because of the modest landholding sizes. Other unpleasant
effects of landlessness include the treatment of women as second-class citizens
in India.
Additionally, this
discourages women from sitting at the table. For instance, quotas for women's
inclusion on the executive committee of the Water Users' Associations were
increasingly adopted as a result of regulatory changes in the framework of
irrigation devolution procedures. However, efforts to implement participatory
irrigation management policies, such as those in Gujarat, may only aim to
enlist "landowners" as members of water users' associations. Women
may only have minimal participation in such committees due to a lack of land
rights.
Given that ownership and
empowerment are intangible consequences, it is challenging to precisely measure
them. But there is a link between them. The other's existence makes little
sense without the assistance of the first. Gender is ingrained in nearly every
element, hence gender-blind solutions are blind to some opportunities and
limitations. Interventions risk missing key chances to change agricultural
systems and boost productivity if they neglect to recognise and address the
relationship between gender and systems.
Initiatives that ensure
access to financial aid and financial instruments without requiring land
ownership are required for this. They also need to create an environment that
is considerate of women's reduced availability for professional tasks due to
other home duties. Additionally, more institutions like agricultural centres or
Swa Bhoomi centres (by the Working Group for Women and Land ownership) must be
run in Odisha under the direction of women.
Along with this, gender
budgeting, which was restricted to 5 per cent in 2020–2021 and is the budgeting
that is attentive to gender-neutral outcomes and primarily focused on
women-centric schemes, needs to be raised.
All of this is crucial
for creating more space for women as well as for altering the agricultural
environment in response to climate change. Women may take the lead in fostering
sustainable adaptation in Indian farmlands because of their sheer number, a wealth
of experience, responsibility, and physical power. To assert this power and
take part in important decision-making processes, they must be supported by the
necessary social and legal framework.