Towards recognising women as farmers
Women do much of India's farm work. Few own the land they work on.
Published 23 September 2026. Written by Pratidin from the reports linked at the end; every fact checked by a separate review before publishing. How we work
An article in The Hindu argues that women's growing role in Indian agriculture has not been matched by their recognition as farmers. 2026 is the UN's International Year of the Woman Farmer, which has put the gap between women's work in food production and their access to land, credit and schemes in the spotlight.
The data show the scale of the shift. Rural female labour force participation rose from 24.6% in 2017-18 to 47.6% in 2023-24, according to the Periodic Labour Force Survey, driven largely by women entering self-employment in agriculture, and about 77% of rural women workers are engaged in agriculture. Male out-migration to cities has left more farm work to women.
Ownership has not followed. Women held only 13.96% of operational holdings and 11.72% of the area operated, according to the Agriculture Census 2015-16. Without land titles, women struggle to access Kisan Credit Cards, crop insurance, PM-KISAN and other benefits linked to land records. Equal inheritance rights for daughters under the Hindu Succession (Amendment) Act, 2005 have not translated into ownership because of social norms and administrative barriers.
Prelims facts
- Women operate only about 14% of operational holdings, according to the Agriculture Census 2015-16.
- The Hindu Succession (Amendment) Act, 2005 gave daughters equal coparcenary rights in joint family property.
- The Mahila Kisan Sashaktikaran Pariyojana (2011), under DAY-NRLM, supports women in agriculture.
Quick recall
- What year did the UN declare the International Year of the Woman Farmer?
- 2026.
- What share of operational holdings did women hold in the Agriculture Census 2015-16?
- 13.96% of holdings and 11.72% of area operated.
- How did rural female labour force participation change between 2017-18 and 2023-24?
- It rose from 24.6% to 47.6% (PLFS), driven largely by self-employment in agriculture.
- What share of rural women workers are engaged in agriculture?
- About 77% (PLFS 2023-24).
- What did the Hindu Succession (Amendment) Act, 2005 do?
- Gave daughters equal coparcenary rights in joint family property.
- Why do women farmers miss out on schemes?
- Many schemes, credit and insurance are linked to land titles, which women rarely hold.
- What is the Mahila Kisan Sashaktikaran Pariyojana?
- A 2011 programme under the National Rural Livelihoods Mission supporting women in agriculture.
- What is a key driver of the feminisation of agriculture?
- Male out-migration to cities, leaving more farm work to women.
Prelims practice question
The Hindu Succession (Amendment) Act, 2005 is significant because it:
- Abolished dowry
- Gave daughters equal coparcenary rights
- Created the Mahila Kisan scheme
- Reserved land titles for women
Show answer
Answer: (b) Gave daughters equal coparcenary rights. It made daughters coparceners by birth with the same rights as sons.
Use this in UPSC Mains: previous-year questions
Recurring theme: Feminisation of agriculture and women's access to land
- How to use this
Adds a gender gap to land reform: women do farm work but rarely own land, which blocks their access to credit and schemes.
- Women held only 13.96% of operational holdings and 11.72% of the area operated, according to the Agriculture Census 2015-16.
- Without land titles, women struggle to access Kisan Credit Cards, crop insurance and PM-KISAN; daughters' equal rights under the 2005 Hindu Succession amendment have not become ownership.
- Suggest joint or individual titles through land records digitisation, and recognising cultivators, not only owners, for scheme benefits.
- How to use this
Supplies data on feminisation of agriculture and the economic and socio-cultural forces behind it.
- Rural female labour force participation rose from 24.6% in 2017-18 to 47.6% in 2023-24 (PLFS), driven largely by women's self-employment in agriculture.
- About 77% of rural women workers are in agriculture, and male out-migration to cities has left more farm work to women.
- Social norms keep land with sons despite the 2005 inheritance amendment, and women's work is often recorded as 'helper' or unpaid family labour.
Mains practice question
The feminisation of Indian agriculture has not translated into the empowerment of women farmers. Discuss. (150 words)
Model answer
As men migrate to cities, women do an increasing share of farm work. Most rural working women are employed in agriculture, yet they operate only about 14% of holdings.
Why recognition lags
- Land titles: without land in their names, women cannot access Kisan Credit Cards, crop insurance or PM-KISAN.
- Inheritance: despite the 2005 amendment, social norms keep land with sons.
- Invisibility: women's work is recorded as 'helper' or unpaid family labour.
- Extension services and machinery are designed around men.
Measures
- Joint or individual titles, including through land records digitisation.
- Recognise cultivators, not only owners, for scheme benefits.
- Women-focused producer organisations and SHG-linked credit.
- Gender-friendly tools and more women extension workers.
Recognising women as farmers is both a justice issue and a productivity gain.
The basics
Why this matters
Women do a growing share of India's farm work, yet most are not recognised as farmers because land is rarely in their names. Without titles they miss out on credit, insurance and schemes. 2026 is the UN's International Year of the Woman Farmer, putting this gap in focus.
More women in farm work
Rural women's participation in the workforce has roughly doubled, mostly through self-employment on family farms. This Feminisation of agriculture is driven partly by men migrating to cities.
Why recognition depends on land
Many benefits require a land record in the farmer's name.
- 1Land in a man's nameInheritance and custom favour sons.
- 2No title for womenThey cannot prove they are farmers.
- 3Benefits missedKisan Credit Card, insurance, PM-KISAN.
- 4DependenceLower bargaining power at home and in markets.
Law versus practice
The Hindu Succession (Amendment) Act, 2005 gave daughters equal rights in joint family property, but social pressure often leads women to give up claims.
- Daughters are coparceners since 2005
- Equal inheritance rights
- Women give up shares
- Land stays with sons
- Records not updated
What can help
Joint titles through Land records digitisation, group lending through Self-help groups, and better gender data from surveys such as the Periodic Labour Force Survey can make women farmers visible and bankable.
You now know
- Women held 13.96% of operational holdings (Agriculture Census 2015-16).
- Rural female labour force participation rose from 24.6% to 47.6% between 2017-18 and 2023-24.
- The Hindu Succession (Amendment) Act, 2005 gave daughters equal coparcenary rights.
- 2026 is the UN International Year of the Woman Farmer.
Go deeper
In one line: More women are doing India's farm work, but few are recognised as farmers because land is rarely in their names.
Why it matters for UPSC
GS1 (role of women) and GS3 (agriculture) both use this. It is a strong example for questions on gender and rural development.
The core idea
The feminisation of agriculture means women are taking on a bigger share of farm work as men migrate. But recognition, and with it access to credit, insurance and schemes, usually depends on holding a land title. Women held only about 14% of operational holdings in the last detailed census. Legal reform, such as equal inheritance under the Hindu Succession (Amendment) Act, 2005, has not overcome social norms that keep land with sons.
Numbers and dates to remember
- 13.96% of holdings, 11.72% of area: women (Agriculture Census 2015-16).
- 24.6% to 47.6%: rural female participation, 2017-18 to 2023-24.
- 2026: International Year of the Woman Farmer.
Where to go next
- Feminisation of agriculture: Causes and consequences
- Periodic Labour Force Survey: How India counts workers
- Land records digitisation: A path to joint titles
- Self-help groups: Credit for women without land
In one line: Recognition, not just participation, decides whether women benefit from farming.
The data gap
Surveys count women as 'unpaid family helpers' rather than farmers, which hides their role. The Periodic Labour Force Survey tracks participation, but land and scheme data rarely capture women's work.
Pathways to recognition
- Joint pattas for spouses, helped by Land records digitisation.
- Recognising cultivators without titles, such as tenant farmers, for credit and insurance.
- Group leasing of land by women's Self-help groups, as in Kerala's Kudumbashree.
Scheme design
Programmes such as the Mahila Kisan Sashaktikaran Pariyojana (2011) train women farmers; gender budgeting can track spending.
Risks of feminisation
Feminisation of agriculture can mean distress rather than empowerment when women are left with low-return farming, unpaid work and care burdens.
Where to go next
- Feminisation of agriculture: Causes and consequences
- Periodic Labour Force Survey: How India counts workers
- Land records digitisation: A path to joint titles
- Self-help groups: Credit for women without land
Feminisation of agriculture
Causes and consequences
In one line: Feminisation of agriculture means a growing share of farm work done by women.
Drivers
Male migration to cities, rising rural participation of women in family farms, and men moving to non-farm jobs first.
Two faces
It can empower women as decision-makers, or it can reflect distress, with women left doing low-paid, unpaid work.
Policy response
Recognition as farmers, land rights, credit and training suited to women.
Where to go next
- Periodic Labour Force Survey: How India counts workers
- Land records digitisation: A path to joint titles
Periodic Labour Force Survey
How India counts workers
In one line: The PLFS, conducted by the National Statistics Office since 2017-18, measures employment and unemployment in India.
What it reports
Labour force participation, worker population ratio and unemployment, by sex and rural or urban area.
Frequency
Quarterly estimates for urban areas and annual estimates for all of India; monthly estimates were introduced from 2025.
Relevance
It shows the sharp rise in rural women's participation after 2017-18.
Where to go next
- Feminisation of agriculture: Causes and consequences
- Land records digitisation: A path to joint titles
Periodic Labour Force Survey: every story that connects to it (3)
Land records digitisation
A path to joint titles
In one line: Digitising land records makes ownership clearer and easier to update, including adding women as joint owners.
Programmes
The Digital India Land Records Modernisation Programme and the SVAMITVA scheme, which maps rural homesteads using drones.
Benefits for women
Easier mutation of records after inheritance, and joint titles that allow women to access credit.
Challenges
Outdated records, disputes and low awareness.
Where to go next
- Feminisation of agriculture: Causes and consequences
- Periodic Labour Force Survey: How India counts workers
Self-help groups
Credit for women without land
In one line: Self-help groups are small groups, usually of 10 to 20 women, who save together and access bank loans collectively.
Scale
The Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana-National Rural Livelihoods Mission supports crores of rural women in SHGs.
Role in farming
Group lending, collective farming and leasing of land, and producer organisations for marketing.
Why it helps
Groups offer credit without land collateral and increase women's bargaining power.
Where to go next
- Feminisation of agriculture: Causes and consequences
- Periodic Labour Force Survey: How India counts workers
Take the 23 September 2026 quiz: 30 Prelims-style questions with answers