Overview of women in agriculture:
- About 18% of the agricultural households in India are led by women.
- In addition to agriculture, women have been making exceptional contribution in horticulture, fisheries, animal husbandry, beekeeping etc.
- A research by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) conducted in nine states shows that the participation of women is 75% in the production of major crops, 79% in horticulture, 51% in post-harvest work and 95% in animal husbandry and fisheries.
- A National Gender Resource Centre in Agriculture, set up in the Department of Agriculture Cooperation & Farmers Welfare, has developed a women sensitization module to bring about change in the mindset of male program operators.
- In 2017-18, DAC&FW’s MANAGE, EEI, SAMETI and other institutions have trained 5645 people through 222 programmes. Besides, more than 14 lakh women farmers have been trained so far under the ATMA scheme.
- The inter-ministerial committee formed under the chairmanship of Dr. Dalwai has written a separate chapter on the empowerment of women to double the income of farmers.
- The Central Institute for Women in Agriculture, Bhubaneswar (Odisha), set up under the ICAR, has also been working in this direction.
- Under the National Cooperative Union of India (NCUI), 38.78 lakh women have been trained in the last two years. Similarly, 6.07 lakh and 7000 women have benefited through KVKs and skill training respectively.
- The government has allocated more than 30% funds for women under various major schemes in order to bring women in the agriculture mainstream.
