Feminization of agriculture

The term “feminization of agriculture” is used to describe changing labor markets that pull men out of agriculture, increasing women’s roles. However, simplified understandings of this feminization persist as myths in the literature, limiting our understanding of the broader changes that affect food security. Through a review of literature, this paper analyses four myths: 1) feminization of agriculture is the predominant global trend in global agriculture; 2) women left behind are passive victims and not farmers; 3) feminization is bad for agriculture; and 4) women farmers all face similar challenges.

In this article, you will know about meaning, provisions and impacts of Feminization in Agriculture, and initiatives taken for women empowerment in field of agriculture.

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Table of Content

• Introduction
• Factors driving Feminization
• Benefits and Challenges of Feminization
• Strategies for Promoting Equal Participation
• Causes of Feminization of Indian Agriculture
• Impacts of Feminization on Women
• Can Women’s participation in Natural Farming be a win-win situation?
• Government Initiatives for Women empowerment
• Ways for Empowering Women in Agriculture
• Conclusion

Introduction

• The feminization of agriculture is a term used in feminist economics to describe the increasing participation of women in the agricultural sector, especially in developing countries.
• It’s a phenomenon that began in the 1960s and has been growing over time.
• In India, the feminization of agriculture can be seen in the high percentage of women who work in the agricultural sector.
• According to the 2021-2022 Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) Report, nearly 63% of workers in the agriculture sector are women, compared to 11.2% in the manufacturing sector.
• Despite their significant contributions, women’s roles have often been undervalued and underrecognized, and they face numerous barriers to equal participation and decision-making.

Current Landscape

• In 2010-11, approximately 43% of cultivators and 52% of agricultural laborers were women.
• The Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) 2019-2020 data shows a further 5.5% point increase in female labor force participation in agriculture from 2018-19.
• This increasing trend is referred to as the “feminization of the agricultural workforce.”

Factors Driving Feminization

1. Decline in Male Labor Force: Mechanization of agriculture and the shift towards non-agricultural employment have driven many men to seek better opportunities in urban areas, leaving women to take on more agricultural responsibilities.
2. Recognition of Women’s Contributions: Efforts by civil society organizations and government initiatives have highlighted the importance of women’s roles in agriculture.
3. Schemes: Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) and National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM) provide alternative economic opportunities for women.
4. Gender division of work: Women may be more willing to accept low-paid, irregular work, and some jobs are considered to be women’s work.
5. Social mobility and migration: Men are often seen as breadwinners and are preferred for physical labor, so they may be more likely to migrate out of rural areas for work.
6. Poverty: Women may work in agriculture to help support their families’ income.

Benefits and challenges of Feminization

1. Public Visibility and Socialization: Increased participation brings women into the public sphere, allowing them to engage with various communities and gain visibility.
2. Skill and Confidence Building: Participation in agriculture can enhance women’s skills and confidence, contributing to their overall empowerment.
3. Economic Opportunities: Schemes like MGNREGA and NRLM provide women with alternative income sources and strengthen their economic position.

Challenges Faced by Women in Agriculture

1. Limited Access to Land and Resources: Women have significantly less access to land compared to men. In 2010-11, only 13% of female cultivators owned the land they farmed, compared to 37% of male cultivators.
2. Gender-Based Discrimination: Persistent stereotypes and discrimination limit women’s access to credit, extension services, marketing, and storage facilities.
3. Policy and Support Gaps: Despite recognizing women’s contributions, there is a lack of targeted policies and programs that address the unique challenges faced by women in agriculture.

Strategies for Promoting Equal Participation

1. Policy Implementation: Develop and enforce policies that promote gender equality in access to resources, credit, and agricultural services.
2. Capacity Building: Provide training and education to women farmers to enhance their skills and knowledge in modern agricultural practices.
3. Addressing Stereotypes: Conduct awareness campaigns to challenge and change gender stereotypes that limit women’s roles in agriculture.
4. Access to Resources: Ensure women have equal access to land, credit, and agricultural inputs. This can be facilitated through reforms in land ownership laws and improved access to financial services.
5. Support Networks: Establish women’s cooperatives and self-help groups to provide a support network that can advocate for their rights and needs.

Causes and Impacts of Feminization of Indian Agriculture

Causes:

• Gender-Division of Work: Societal norms and stereotypes perpetuate the idea of certain jobs as “women’s work,” leading to their easy hire and low-paid irregular work.
• Social Mobility and Migration – Reserved for Males: Men are traditionally seen as breadwinners and are prioritized for education opportunities and physical labor, pushing them towards migration for better job prospects.
• Poverty: Economic hardship drives women to work as agricultural or domestic laborers to supplement family income.

Impacts of Feminization of Agriculture on Women

1. Work Overload: Women take on additional agricultural responsibilities alongside their traditional caregiving roles, leading to increased workload and stress.
2. Socio-Cultural Isolation: Women deviating from traditional gender roles may face social stigma and isolation within their communities.
3. Insufficient Time for Child Rearing: Balancing work and caregiving duties leaves women with little time for proper child rearing, affecting the well-being of their children.
4. Mental Health Issues: Spousal separation due to male migration, coupled with increased household responsibilities, can lead to mental health problems for women left behind.
5. Lack of Recognition and Ownership: Despite managing household and farm work, women often remain marginalized in terms of land ownership and decision-making.

Women’s Role in Indian Agriculture

Rural Women Workforce in Agriculture Sector

• Economic Contribution: 80% of economically active women in rural areas are in agriculture, with 33% as agricultural laborers and 48% as self-employed farmers.
• Roles: Engaged in all levels of the agricultural value chain including production, pre-harvest, post-harvest processing, packaging, and marketing.

Key Statistics

• Increased Participation: The ratio of women to men in agriculture has grown, contributing more to GDP per capita.
• Sustainable Food Systems: Recognized as a crucial demographic for sustainability.

Impact of Reforms

• Potential Growth: Women-oriented reforms could increase agricultural output by 2.5 to 4% in developing countries.
• AatmaNirbhar Bharat Initiative: Allocated funds to integrate women in agricultural development and ensure equal access to rural services.

Extensive Participation:

• Women constitute a significant portion of India’s rural workforce in agriculture, with 79% of rural women engaged in agricultural activities, compared to 63% of rural men.
• Diverse Roles: In various stages of agricultural production- land preparation, seed selection, sowing, harvesting, and animal husbandry activities (animal care, fodder collection, and milk processing).
• Family Economy: As farmers, agricultural laborers, and entrepreneurs, engage in tasks like collecting non-timber forest produce, fuel, fodder, and water, which augment family resources.

Alt-text: Role of Women in Agriculture

Gender Disparities in Indian Agriculture

1. Ownership vs. Labor Division: Men predominantly own the land, women’s participation in farming is more than three-quarters of rural agricultural activities, compared to 55% of men.
2. Unpaid and Unaccounted Labor: Despite their extensive involvement, women’s agricultural labor is often perceived as unpaid or unaccounted for.
   • Paid opportunities in farming are declining, further exacerbating the disparity in recognition and compensation for their work.
3. Role in Farming: Women farmers are actively involved in day-to-day cultivation, management, and decision-making, while men may take on supervisory roles.
4. Challenges in Transition to Natural Farming: Despite suggestions to work with male farmers, it is evident that women are the ones heavily involved in farming activities.
5. Mechanization and extension services: It tend to prioritize men’s activities and crops, neglecting the unique contributions and needs of women farmers.
6. Crop wise: This bias may lead to a disproportionate focus on cash crops over subsistence food crops, potentially compromising family nutrition and food security.

Government Initiatives for Women Empowerment

Role of Rural Women in India’s Development

1. Key Contributors to Agriculture: Rural women play a pivotal role in agriculture, constituting about 80 percent of the workforce in this sector.
2. Potential for Economic Growth: Empowering and mainstreaming rural women in agriculture can lead to significant economic growth, enhance productivity and efficiency in the sector.
3. Impact on Food and Nutrition Security: Increased participation of rural women in agriculture can improve food and nutrition security.
4. Alleviating Poverty and Hunger: By providing them with income-generating opportunities and improving household livelihoods.
5. Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): Particularly Goal 1 (No Poverty), Goal 2 (Zero Hunger), and Goal 5 (Gender Equality).

Government Initiatives

• Flagship Programs: Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana (DDU-GKY), PM’s employment generation programme (PMEGP), Beti Bachao Beti Padhao, and PM Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY).
• Access to Education and Resources: Providing rural women with access to education, productive resources, capacity building, skill development, and healthcare facilities
• Diversified Livelihood Opportunities: Through beneficiary schemes, rural women now have access to a range of livelihood opportunities beyond traditional agriculture.
• Inter-ministerial Efforts: Ministries of Agriculture and Rural Development have launched schemes to support rural women farmers.
• Mahila Kisan Sashaktikaran Pariyojana (MKSP): A subcomponent of DAY-NRLM, focuses on skill development and capacity building for rural women.
• Training Programs: Women receive training in modern agricultural techniques, nutrition, food security, and value addition through community resource persons and extension agencies.
• Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY): Provides short-term skill training for rural youth and women.

Research and Extension

• ICAR-Central Institute for Women in Agriculture: Conducts research to enhance women’s participation in agriculture.
• Increased Participation: Over 58,295 Krishi Sakhi trained, and 1.23 lakh women farmers participated in specialized training by KVK.

Community and Financial Empowerment

• Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) and SHGs: Play a significant role in disseminating training programs.
• Financial Inclusion: Pradhan Mantri Jan-Dhan Yojana (PMJDY) has improved access to banking, credit, insurance, and pensions for rural women.
• Other Financial Schemes: Pradhan Mantri MUDRA Yojana (PMMY), Stand-Up India Scheme, and PMEGP support entrepreneurship and financial empowerment.

Social Empowerment

• Beti Bachao Beti Padhao: Aims to eliminate gender discrimination and improve the sex ratio.
• Mission Shakti: Integrates various schemes for women’s empowerment, including health, education, and safety.

Ways for Empowering Women in Agriculture

• Equal Access: To land, credit, extension services, and marketing and storage facilities through policy interventions and reforms aimed at addressing gender disparities.
• Recognition of Women’s Labor: This includes acknowledging their contributions to household food security, crop cultivation, and livestock management.
• Education and Training: vocational training, extension programs, and initiatives aimed at enhancing women’s skills and knowledge in modern agricultural practices.
• Involvement in Decision-Making: Encourage participation in farmer organizations, cooperatives, and other local institutions, for voicing in matters affecting agricultural policies and practices.
• Support for Women-led Initiatives: Empowering women to start and manage their own agricultural businesses, entrepreneurship, and facilitating access to markets and value chains.
• Promotion of Women’s Land Ownership: Enabling them to access benefits under multiple agricultural schemes reserved for landowners.
• Women-centric Extension Services: Innovate farm machines and agricultural technologies suited to female use in crop cultivation, livestock management, and sustainable farming practices.

Civil Society Initiatives

• Collectives: Civil society organizations empower them through collective action and solidarity to voice their concerns, access resources, and advocate for rights.
• Education and Awareness: Educate women about their rights and entitlements in agriculture, enabling them to assert their rights and access resources and services.
• Livelihood Training and Initiatives: In income-generating activities such as mushroom cultivation, poultry farming, and organic farming, enabling women to diversify their sources of income.
• Market Linkages: For women farmers, helping them access markets for their agricultural products and value-added products through market research, product development, and marketing strategies.

Gender-Transformative Approaches in Agrifood Systems

• Gender-transformative approaches actively address barriers to gender equality by transforming norms and policies rather than working around them.
• Discriminatory social norms and rules perpetuate gender inequality in agrifood systems, affecting women and girls across various aspects such as work, productivity, assets, services, and shocks.
• Slow Change: Addressing gender inequality requires tackling both informal (norms) and formal (policy) factors, as discriminatory social norms are slow to changes.
• Methodologies:

1. Dimitra Clubs: Challenge gender-discriminatory norms and behaviors at the community level, harnessing collective action and community engagement.
2. GALS (Gender Action Learning System): Facilitate peer-to-peer learning, developing individual and joint visions for change using participatory and visual tools.

Conclusion

Empowering rural women in agriculture is essential for India’s holistic development and achieving the vision of “Azaadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav” by ensuring their socio-economic and health security. Government initiatives aimed at creating gender parity and providing opportunities for rural women have made significant strides in enhancing their status and participation in society. Moving forward, continued efforts are needed to further empower rural women and maximize their potential as catalysts for sustainable development in India.

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