International Year of the Woman Farmer 2026

The United Nations (UN) has declared 2026 as the International Year of the Woman Farmer. This initiative aims to emphasize the critical roles women play in the agrifood value chain and highlight the disparities they face, such as in wage rates, resource access, land ownership, growth opportunities, and decision-making.

Women in Indian Agriculture

• Workforce Participation: Women represent over 40% of India's agricultural workforce and undertake nearly 80% of the farm chores, making them the backbone of agriculture and its allied sectors like crop farming, horticulture, dairy, sericulture, fisheries, and forestry.
• Workload: Women work around 3,300 hours in a crop season, significantly more than the 1,860 hours by men. Despite their contributions, they face issues like lack of land ownership, lower wages, and designation as “unpaid family workers.”
• Land Ownership: Only about 13% of women own land.

Broad Definition of Woman Farmers

The UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) defines woman farmers broadly, covering those involved in various roles in the agrifood systems such as farmers, labourers, fishers, and traders. In India, women comprise 33% of laborers and 48% self-employed in the farm sector.

Migratory Patterns and Feminisation

• Rural male migration to urban areas for non-farm employment has increased, leading to the feminisation of Indian agriculture.
• This shift necessitates policies focused on empowering women in agriculture, as highlighted in a global conference held in New Delhi, which called for policy redesign and resource mobilization for women in agriculture.

Entrepreneurship and Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs)

• The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) states women are equally capable of entrepreneurship when given access to resources.
• Of the approximately 10,000 FPOs, 1,175 are exclusively female, with women holding 100% shareholding. States like Odisha, Jharkhand, Bihar, Maharashtra, and Telangana lead in all-women FPOs.

Historical Contributions

The late agricultural expert M S Swaminathan noted that crop plants were domesticated by women, highlighting their historical contribution to farming and conservation of resources like land and water.

Empowerment Needs

The document concludes by emphasizing the need to empower women with resources and technology to enhance their role in agro-rural development, especially in laggard agricultural regions.