Feminization of Agriculture in India: Women’s Role and Challenges

   

Over the last few decades, farming in India has become increasingly less profitable, driving many small and marginal farmers, particularly men, to migrate to cities in search of better economic opportunities. As a result, women who are left behind often take on the responsibility of managing the family’s small piece of land. This trend has led to what is now referred to as the "feminization of agriculture", where women’s involvement in agriculture has not only expanded but also deepened, covering a wide array of tasks crucial to agricultural production.

Women’s Dominant Role in Agriculture

Women play an essential role in various agricultural tasks such as:

• Germplasm Conservation: Women are involved in preserving the genetic resources of seeds and crops, which is vital for food security.
• Food Production: They contribute significantly to food production, including sowing, weeding, harvesting, and post-harvest processing.
• Grain Storage: Women manage the storage of harvested crops, ensuring their quality and safety.
• Seed Quality Maintenance: Women take charge of maintaining seed quality, ensuring that seeds used for future crops are viable and healthy.
• Food Access and Utilization: Women ensure that food is available and properly utilized, contributing to household nutrition.

Despite their substantial contributions, women in agriculture are often regarded as "invisible workers". While they perform about two-thirds of agricultural work, they are not formally recognized as full-fledged farmers. Instead, they are often classified as "farm laborers" and their work is considered unskilled labor. This lack of formal recognition means that women do not have access to critical resources such as credit, compensation, or government relief benefits that are typically reserved for formally recognized farmers.

Challenges Faced by Women in Agriculture

Although agriculture has created new economic opportunities for women, several challenges persist:

• Insecurity and Hazardous Working Conditions: Women face insecure work conditions, with long working hours, exposure to environmental health hazards, and low wages.
• Limited Access to Training and Skill Development: Women have limited opportunities to acquire the training and skills necessary to advance in the agricultural sector.
• Lack of Recognition and Support: Women’s contributions are often overlooked, and they are not fully integrated into the formal agricultural structure, which limits their access to support and resources.

To improve the situation, it is essential to enhance women's abilities through education, training, access to technology, and information. Such measures can empower women, improve their productivity, and enable them to play an even more significant role in the agricultural sector.

Education and Gender Representation in Agriculture

Historically, the number of male students in agricultural education far exceeded that of female students. However, this disparity has diminished over the years, and there is now an equal representation of male and female students in agricultural colleges and universities. Despite this progress, the professional field remains largely gender-dependent. Most women graduates prefer jobs in banks, universities, or private companies, while fewer opt to work in open-field agricultural settings. Furthermore, women are underrepresented in high-level agricultural roles such as crop improvement, breeding, agronomy, and plant pathology.

The situation is particularly dire in seed industry leadership. In private companies, including multinational corporations like BASF, women constitute a mere 25% of the workforce, a percentage that is likely even lower in India, given the country’s education ratio. India also ranks among the lowest globally in terms of the number of women holding leadership roles in business, with less than 5% of senior management positions (such as CEOs or Managing Directors) held by women.

The Need for Gender Diversity in the Seed Industry

Gender diversity in the workplace is not merely a feminist issue but an essential factor for improving organizational efficiency. Studies have shown that diverse teams tend to be more effective and innovative, leading to better overall outcomes. The seed industry, like many other sectors, suffers from poor representation of women, especially in leadership roles. It is crucial to change this status quo by addressing gender biases, encouraging women to take on leadership roles, and promoting women’s ambitions.

For this transformation to occur, stakeholders—including businesses, communities, and governments—must work together. Moreover, women need to be more proactive in pursuing leadership positions and projects that align with their career aspirations.

Role of Government and Policy Changes

The role of the government is critical in empowering women in agriculture through policies that address gender inequality in the workforce. By amending employment policies across both public and private organizations, the government can create an environment that is more conducive to women’s participation in agriculture and its related fields.

Women as Agri-Intellectuals

It is essential to recognize women not just as workers but as agri-intellectuals who can significantly contribute to strengthening agricultural research, education, and development. Recognizing women’s potential in agriculture is critical for attracting more female talent to the sector and ensuring sustainable agricultural growth.

Increased gender sensitivity in agriculture education, research, and development is now acknowledged as an important component for overcoming stagnation in agricultural productivity. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), equalizing access to resources between women and men could increase agricultural output in developing countries by 2.5-4%. This would not only improve food security and nutrition but also enhance agricultural productivity.

Conclusion

The feminization of agriculture presents both challenges and opportunities. Women play a critical role in agricultural production, yet they continue to face significant barriers due to gender inequality. By addressing these issues through education, training, policy changes, and increased recognition, women can be empowered to play an even more central role in the agricultural sector, ultimately contributing to food security and economic growth. Serious attention is needed to ensure that women’s contributions to agriculture are recognized and that they have equal access to resources, opportunities, and decision-making processes.